Mornings were of no trouble for Alice Margatroid.
Sure, she was a magician and therefore required no sleep, but that had been true for her even before she'd become a youkai.
She'd always considered herself to be an early riser.
...
It was early when Alice stepped out onto her front porch, fully dressed and prepared for the journey ahead. She had awoken beneath a canopy of twinkling stars, and now the faintest of them have already winked out of sight.
The first hints of daybreak crept over the horizon, a soft, otherworldly glow painting the eastern sky. It was but a presage, a herald of the coming day.
The Forest was quiet, save for the most stubborn of insects, refusing to end their cacophonous serenade. The youkai of the night, quickly wrapping up their activities, were headed for their homes, or wherever it was that they spent their time under the harsh light of day.
The cool morning air graced her skin and filled her lungs. She made a point to savor it before the sun could render it stiflingly hot.
The morning twilight was peaceful, and… nostalgic. The unnaturally cool weather… The long periods of darkness… The strangely quiet hinterlands…
It… reminded her of home.
No… her previous home. This was her home, now.
Gensokyo was her home.
…
She picked up speed as she glided through the Forest, keeping low and following the path. Any confrontations would inevitably delay her passage. Thus, she sought to remain as inconspicuous as possible.
As she flew, a gentle breeze slithered its way through the trees, nudging at their branches and catching at their leaves, urging them all into a discordant symphony. The hollow rattle of desiccated plant matter was eerie, a sound far more suited for late fall than early summer, especially in the hazy, early dawn light.
It was… not a good look. Shouldn't one of the gods have done something about that by now? How long would they allow this drought to persist?
The longer it kept up, the more she considered adding a well of some sort to her property.
…
…
…
The Human Village, once teeming with life, now silent, save for the odd guard or lone figure slipping through its dark streets. Soon, it would boast a return to normalcy. For now, its residents slept, clutching at those last few precious moments of rest before the start of a new day.
The guard at the gate had given her an odd look, but had let her pass all the same.
Alice made her way from street to street, relying on memory to reach her destination. A haphazard smattering of torches lit her way, helped along only slightly by the increasing morning visibility.
…
She approached a door, one that had quickly become familiar to her. It was a simple pane of glass framed by metal, a utilitarian metal handle on one side and hinges on the other. At its center hung a sign, which currently read 'CLOSED'.
She raised a hand, the one not occupied by her grimoire, and rapped on the door. The sound of her metal rings on the glass produced an unpleasant racket.
It was fortunate that the surrounding buildings were businesses; there were few who would be disturbed by her early morning clangor.
…
With no response, she knocked again, this time electing to do so on the metal, rather than the glass.
…
After another minute and no sign of activity, she sighed.
He really must be a heavy sleeper…
Taking a step back from the door, Alice tilted her head back, casting her gaze higher. There, on the second floor of the building, was a window. If her memory was correct, said window led directly into his bedroom.
Another sigh.
She had informed him that she'd planned to arrive before sunrise. Seeing that he had evidently neglected this piece of information was… slightly exasperating.
She had half a mind to start tossing pebbles at his window. However… She had a much better idea.
Without so much as a move on her part, Alice directed her beloved Shanghai skyward. The doll, whose hands were porcelain, smooth and hard, pounded on the glass of the window to great effect.
It took less than ten seconds for the window to open, an obviously sleep-addled Eric appearing from within. "What the hel- …Alice! What… are you doing here?" he asked, punctuating the question with a yawn.
Yet another sigh. "I am teaching you magic. Remember? Or… would you rather cancel?"
Even from a distance, Alice could practically see the wheels turning in his head. "Oh! Yeah! Let… um… Let me… let you in. Give me just a sec."
With that, Eric shut the window.
She huffed lightly and shook her head. The more time they spent here, the less time they would have before the heat became unbearable. They were wasted minutes. Wasted potential.
True to his word, Eric reappeared in the entranceway only a few short moments later. He still wore what she could have only assumed to be his pajamas. The lights flickered on, and after a satisfying click, he opened the door, allowing Alice to enter.
He spoke sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he sputtered out an apology. "S-sorry, Alice. I-I didn't… think you'd be here this early."
"If I recall correctly, you did ask for the 'earliest we can start'," she prodded.
Another deep yawn, and then a sigh. "Yeahhh… Man, I've really gotta start being more specific with my times…"
"And, I did specifically mention 'before sunrise' to you." Her words were clipped, frustration bleeding in.
A look of shameful realization crept over his face. "You… did. S-sorry. Give me just a few minutes and I'll be ready to head out." He turned and quickly made his way back through the side door that led upstairs.
Alice glanced sideways at Shanghai. "Please follow him to ensure he doesn't delay."
With a quick nod, Shanghai disappeared through the door, too.
…
Alice soon found herself sitting at the booth nearest to the door, relaxing into its cushioned seat. If she was to be made to wait, then she would at least do so in comfort.
She contemplated the situation at hand and… the small streak of irritation that, like sandpaper, wore at the edges of her mind. Her thoughts were mixed, conflicted on how justified such a feeling was.
How much of it was due to Eric's oversleeping, and how much of it came from frustration at herself? At how such a small inconvenience could affect her so?
On one hand, she was the teacher, and she was eager to prove herself. It was important to establish early on that, when it came to this arrangement, she was the one in charge, and it was critical that her word was respected.
On the other hand, she was his girlfriend, and it might have been a bit unfair for her to expect perfection from day one. It was not easy to establish a new habit or a new routine. That she knew well.
And... just because she had stayed up all night refining her tentative lesson plan and contemplating her teaching style didn't mean that she could expect the same level of excitement from him.
Still, it nagged at the corners of her mind. They could have already been on their way to the training grounds she had picked out by now…
She just… wanted him to treat this with as much importance as she did.
…
In truth, it had only taken a handful of minutes for Eric to reemerge from his upstairs living area, fully dressed and hair tied into a ponytail. Shanghai followed behind him, both arms outstretched as she pushed at his back, hurrying him along.
"Sorry again, Alice…" he murmured. "Um… I'm gonna make a really quick pot of coffee. If I don't, then it'll take me longer to, um… focus."
Alice nodded. That… was fair. She needed his mind to be in top form today, after all.
"Do you want a cup?" he offered.
She shook her head.
"No, thank you."
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Oh gods, it's too early for this.
Eric was never the type to wake before the sun had risen. If anything, he would have considered himself more of a night owl, but that didn't mesh well with the realities of running a cafe. It… also wasn't exactly reasonable for a human in Gensokyo.
Of course, he was tired. It felt like a band, wrapped tightly around his mind, constricting his ability to think.
At least now he had a cup of coffee in his system to work with, one that he'd rushed to gulp down while it was still far too hot. The caffeine would invigorate him and restore his mental capacity as it always did.
He didn't want to keep Alice waiting any longer than necessary. He… suspected that she was rather annoyed by his late start.
It… wasn't often that she was annoyed with him. That feeling… He didn't like it…
At least now, as they stepped out of the cafe, he felt that the morning was getting back on track. Hopefully that would bring everything back to normal…
Alice spoke up. "Follow me. There is a clearing just outside of the Village that looks promising," she said before suddenly lifting off of the ground and flying away at a moderately high speed.
Eric had to scramble to go airborne and follow her steadily retreating form. "Ah, w-wait up!"
After a few moments, Alice glanced back at him. He couldn't quite make out her expression in the gloomy morning twilight, but it almost looked… conflicted?
She slowed slightly, allowing him to catch up.
"Thanks." he breathed out.
…
They flew in formation, passing over the numerous buildings of the Human Village.
It was truly an experience, seeing it all from the air. Eric rarely ever got to admire such a view.
With Alice still in the lead, they glided over the Village's outer wall, completely bypassing any of the gates.
...How useful were all the walls and gates when youkai could simply fly over them? He didn't know. He wasn't an expert.
…
A short time later, they arrived at a clearing.
It was fairly large, entirely hemmed in by trees, and free of obstacles. The earth here was covered by a mix of gravel, dirt, and withered grass. It would have been a decent place to build something, or perhaps one such structure had existed here long ago.
Alice touched down, and Eric followed suit.
The sun had just begun to slip over the horizon, bringing life to the sky and scattering beams of light through the dense, albeit dry, foliage.
"Are you ready to begin?" she asked.
One such ray threaded its way through the leaves and fell upon the back of Alice's head, much to his wonder. At such an angle, with such an isolated streak of sunlight, it illuminated her hair, giving off the impression that the blonde locks were glowing under their own power.
There she was, skin of porcelain, eyes of aquamarine, and hair a halo of gold, watching him expectantly.
She was…
Beautiful…
…
He shook his head, snapping himself out of it. He couldn't be getting distracted now.
"Yeah, I'm ready. I promise." He gave her a look of certainty.
Alice nodded. "Good. Then, let us begin." She closed her eyes and took a deep, steady breath.
She opened them again, gaze firm. "You may be wondering why we've come out here, to a patch of forest rather than a table full of books."
He nodded, and so she went on. "It is my intention to assess your initial capabilities, to establish a baseline from which we can build. Today is more so a test on the practical side of things. It is an assessment of your overall dexterity, maneuverability, and combat prowess."
That all made sense so far. He supposed it would have been strange to begin teaching without her knowing where he was at skill-wise.
"Simply put, we will engage in a mock duel, a… practice bout, if you will." She affixed the book that she carried to her waist.
There was a shot of ice into his veins.
Oh, no… I'm going to have to fight Alice!?
She stretched her fingers wide, and four dolls revealed themselves from… out of thin air.
"Standard spell card rules apply: all attacks must be non-lethal, all attacks must be avoidable in some way, all spell cards must be announced before their use, and the winner cannot kill the loser."
Surprisingly, that did little to quell his growing alarm.
No way! She's going to pulverize me!
"Matters relating to etiquette, sportsmanship, tradition, and style are not enshrined as official rules, but they are established customs that are well respected and will be covered later. For now, you may use everything at your disposal."
A small, eager smile graced her features, and her eyes held a look of challenge, like she was anticipating the coming fight. If he had to be honest, it was intimidating to have that sort of intent leveled at him by her.
"If you are worried, don't be. I will go easy on you. However, it is important that you do not do the same. Don't hold back. Show me your full potential!"
And with that, Alice rose into the air, dolls in what Eric assumed to be a battle formation. He… had no other choice but to respond in kind.
There was… There was absolutely no way that he could win this. It was the very definition of fighting a losing battle. He couldn't even fire danmaku! How was he meant to square off against a powerful magician like Alice?
He… He really only had one option, and he resigned himself to it. Eric would dodge what he could for as long as possible. He had no real experience in avoiding danmaku, no muscle memory to assist his movements.
He just hoped that he wouldn't give her a disappointing performance…
"Ready?"
Was he ready? In truth, no.
He nodded anyway.
"Good. Let us begin!"
...
Alice's first move was to fire off a single string of danmaku. The small bullets, arranged into a simple line, moved slowly enough. It was no struggle for Eric to drift to one side, avoiding contact with the humming blue orbs
As soon as the initial wave passed him by, the four combat dolls at her side released very loose clouds of danmaku. After another moment, Alice sent another line his way, timed in such a way that both attacks would meet him simultaneously.
He dodged once more, this time with greater difficulty. The random nature of the dolls shots made it trickier to navigate to safety.
As the exercise continued, Alice steadily increased the complexity of her assault. One line quickly became two, then three. The clusters of danmaku originating from her dolls slowly grew in both density and speed. Even Shanghai, positioned high above Alice, started to add her own shots into the mix.
Eric began to lose ground. While being able to move in three dimensions made it easier to evade the attacks being thrown his way, he was not used to such complex movement in the air. He was starting to get disoriented…
Then…
Khh-!
A sharp breath of air, sucked in through his teeth.
He'd been struck. One of the dolls managed to land a solid shot onto his upper arm.
Being hit by danmaku was… weird. It stung, of course, but the sensation was more complex than that. It almost felt like a burn, but there was a quality to it that reminded him of an electrical shock. It rendered the skin tender, and somehow he knew that there would be a bruise taking form there shortly.
Not only that, the danmaku seemed to have a weakening effect. He found it more difficult to move his arm, beyond what a simple blunt impact would have caused.
Perhaps it was so that someone with a high pain tolerance couldn't drag out a duel indefinitely?
Regardless, it did hurt, and he rubbed at the spot gingerly.
Seemingly having pushed Eric to the point of failure, Alice briefly paused her onslaught. "I am aware that you find danmaku difficult, but will you not retaliate with your own spells?"
"Heh, um… It's not that I'm bad at danmaku. I… uh… can't do it." He sheepishly cast his gaze to the side.
Alice's brows furrowed. "Can't?"
"Incapable. I… don't know how."
That seemed to surprise her. "Nothing at all? No orbs?"
"No…"
"Simple bullets?"
"Nope."
"...Lasers?"
"Wha- Definitely not lasers!"
Alice actually giggled at his reaction. "It was necessary to ask. Some people's natural aptitude lies in beam form."
The sound of her laughing made him feel lighter. "I'm not so sure that mine does. As I am now, I can't fire anything."
"Then that shall be one of the goals we work towards first." There was a steadiness, a confidence in her voice. "Were you in need of a break, or are you able to continue?"
Eric rubbed his sore arm again. He could feel the exertion beginning to creep in, but he wasn't completely spent yet.
"Yeah, I can keep going."
She nodded. "Then let us begin once more."
…
Speaking of lasers…
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Alice's earlier frustration had long since faded.
The simple act of creating danmaku was, for her, a surprisingly effective stress reliever. With every little shot, laser, and glob of carefully calculated danmaku she sent his way, the tension in her shoulders eased, and her mood brightened.
As the morning drew on, she even began to feel the slightest bit giddy. A sense of eagerness took over as she anticipated his movements and increased the speed and complexity of her bullets. It was nothing compared to a duel against another youkai (He couldn't even fire back!), but she found that she was having fun all the same.
It was becoming increasingly clear to her just how much she missed fighting others.
And, for the most part, Eric seemed to be keeping up despite his growing exhaustion. He wasn't the most proficient flier, and he had taken quite a few direct hits, but he had yet to be overwhelmed by her simple attacks. It was a good sign.
Eventually, she decided that it was time to give him a real test.
A true spell card.
Alice pulled out the least complicated spell that she could think of. It was one she'd developed when she was still a total beginner. Still, it would be a step up in difficulty from what she'd been throwing at him.
She held it high and called out its name. It gleamed in the sunlight.
"Scarlet Sign: Red-Haired Dutch Dolls -Easy- !"
Several small spell circles manifested, scattered across the battlefield. From within each one, a doll appeared. Red-haired and equipped with a white ribbon and blue dress, they were affectionately referred to as Holland dolls.
Said dolls released dense clusters of white diamond shaped bullets in a synchronized fashion, generally aimed towards Eric, but not with pinpoint accuracy. These clusters slowly expanded, covering a wider and wider area the further they traveled.
The spell card was meant to have two methods of avoidance: Weave your way through the dense field of danmaku, or swing wide, dodging the entire field all at once.
Eric seemed to have taken the first option, threading himself through the tight corridors with moderate effort.
With each wave, her dolls repositioned themselves, creating an ever changing angle of attack. The timing of their shots slowly desynced, adding more randomness to the barrage. The colors of the bullets changed, too. From white to red to orange to yellow and more.
Unfortunately for him, his chosen method of dodging soon resulted in him backing himself into a figurative corner.
With nowhere else to turn and three clusters of bullets about to impact him, shock spread across his face. He held his hands out, and a translucent, amber barrier instantly took form, enclosing him within a gleaming shield.
The danmaku that had been on a collision course with his body instead bounced harmlessly off of the vaguely geometric yet rounded shape.
He appeared to breathe a sigh of relief.
She allowed her spell card to end. She didn't want to overdo it. Eric's breathing was heavy, and his flagging energy had already been resulting in slower movements.
Alice sought to test him, not burn him out.
As her spell card faded, so too did his shield.
"Your defensive barrier… Why didn't you do that before?" With the number of times he'd been hit, she was genuinely curious.
"I… thought it would be cheating…" He looked away.
Ah, of course. "Well, it would have been cheating, if this was an official duel."
He cringed at that.
"However, this was an assessment. You were free to use everything at your disposal."
She drifted closer and allowed the magical wire to fade between her and her dolls. "Overall, I would say that you functioned well for a novice. You were not without flaws, but as a baseline performance there was a lot to be satisfied with."
Her words had a slightly delayed effect. When realization dawned across his face, his eyes lit up. "R-really!?"
A smile tugged at her lips. "Yes, your ability was well above that of a complete amateur, so there are certain steps that we'll be able to bypass. Although… Your inability to produce danmaku is a major deficiency, and it will be the first issue that we address."
…
The conversation continued, both parties now grounded.
"-and then we must assess where you stand on magical theory. That will have to wait until next time, however."
Eric tilted his head slightly. "Next time? So, does that mean we're done with the practice duel?"
She looked him up and down. "You seemed to be approaching exhaustion. Is that not the case?"
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Um… well… you could say that. B-But I can keep going if you need me to!"
She sighed.
No concern for his own wellbeing…
It was equally endearing and frustrating. She needed him to approach this with moderation.
"It's imperative that we don't strain your mana reserves. Like anything else, overexerting one's magic can have a long-term weakening effect."
"Oh. So, it's... basically like exercising a muscle?"
"Precisely."
…
In actuality, the clearing that they had been utilizing as a training ground was fairly close to one of the main paths (calling them roads would have been generous) that weaved their way through the Forest of Magic, though it was not nearly as deep into the woods as her own home.
In an effort to preserve what was left of Eric's depleted magical energy, they'd elected to walk back to the Village.
It was still morning. However, as the sun marched higher, the air began to warm. It was humid, but it was not yet oppressive.
Yet.
…
Somewhere along the way, she had worked up the courage to slip her hand into his.
It was an act that she had once considered, yet at the time she could not bring herself to take the initiative.
Now? Well… He was her boyfriend, after all. Such a thing was what couples did. At least, that was what she had told herself.
He readily accepted the gesture, not hesitating at all to return the hold. As their fingers interlaced, she was grateful that she'd had the foresight to remove her combat rings.
His hand was warm, and his grip was firm. His fingers were… surprisingly long, nearly the length of her own.
Something about the touch resonated with her. It afforded her a sense of closeness; a certain level of… intimacy. Not as much as, say, a hug, but still…
Internally, she could not help but revel in the feeling.
The sight of a faint dusting of red across Eric's cheeks only made it better.
He glanced sideways at her.
"...You're not still mad?" he tentatively asked.
…Still mad? Oh…
She shook her head. "It… wasn't that I was angry earlier… It was more exasperation than anything."
Alice took another lungful of rich, forest air. "It… bothered me, I suppose. It felt as if you had blown me off; like our plans weren't important."
If the expression on his face suggested anything, it was that he took exception to this.
"Not important? Of course it's important to me, Alice. Not only have I been given the chance to get stronger, but you're the one teaching me. Like, I can't think of anything else that could have made this a bigger deal!"
Warmth spread through her chest at his words. It was… nice to know how he felt on the matter.
"Then, I believe that I have misunderstood…"
He gave her hand a meaningful squeeze. Then, "I… guess it is my fault for giving off that first impression. I've never been good at waking up early, even for something big. I can do better, though."
"Good. Your teacher demands it." she said, with no real bite.
They continued along for a moment before Eric shot her an earnest smile. "I really do think you'll be a good teacher. I'll try my best to be a good student!"
Her heart fluttered at his expression of faith. How did he always manage to make it sound so sincere?
Regardless, his smile was infectious. "Thank you."
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
By the time they arrived back at the Human Village, the streets were alive once more. Throngs of people wandered to and fro, a stark contrast from the sleepy town they had left.
When they'd approached the Village, Eric had secretly wondered if Alice would hesitate; if she would move to pull her hand away from his due to the increased scrutiny.
That she hadn't yet done so was… reassuring. If anything, she had closed the distance between them slightly.
It made him happy, it really did.
He… knew that there were villagers out there who would think differently of him if they saw him holding hands with a youkai, but he didn't care. Sure, a few odd looks were thrown their way, but the vast majority of the townsfolk minded their own business.
They were free to walk in peace
…
Then, they heard it.
An excited, high-pitched squeal reached their ears. "Look! It's her! The nice doll lady!"
Looking to the source of the voice, their eyes landed upon a short little girl, dashing across the street. Behind her, a gaggle of other kids scrambled to catch up.
"S-Sachi! W-Wait up!" one of the boys called after her breathlessly.
The child, which Eric now knew as Sachi, stood before him and Alice, seemingly about to burst from anticipation. She was rather small; no more than ten years old, likely less. Her black, shoulder-length hair was slightly lopsided, and she wore a plain, pink kimono. There might as well have been stars in her dark brown eyes as she stared at Alice and Shanghai.
In her hands was a doll, strikingly similar in appearance to the girl herself. It appeared to be well made. Very well made. It almost reminded him of…
"Remember me? Remember me? You made me this doll!" To make her point clear, she stuck her arms out, holding the doll up.
Well, that answers that.
Eric glanced over to Alice, seeking her reaction to this newcomer.
And what a reaction it was.
There was a fond smile on her face, and she gave an airy laugh. "Of course I remember you. I remember all of my dolls, and their owners, too."
Her hand left his. Alice knelt down to the child's height and gently took the doll into her own hands. After a quick inspection, she grinned. "It looks like you've been taking care of her. It makes me glad to see that she's been treated so well."
Sachi's eyes brightened even further. "Mhm! I wouldn't want Minnie to be sad!"
Alice chuckled softly. "Minnie… Minnie… Now that is a fine name for a doll."
"It's easier than saying Mini Me all the time!"
"I'm sure it is." Alice then cast her gaze over the rest of the group, who had, at this point, gathered around. "You are all her friends?"
All of the children nodded with varying levels of enthusiasm.
"She's said a ton about you," one of the slightly older looking girls said.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Alice, a dollmaker."
"Mhm! She's really nice, and her dolls are really pretty!" Sachi chimed in, likely reiterating points she'd made previously.
Alice turned Minnie the doll around in her hands. "Sachi, may I borrow Minnie for a moment? For a small performance?"
Sachi's mouth formed into a little 'o' before breaking into an excited smile. "Yes! I wanna see!"
"Very well."
Alice stood tall once more. She beckoned Shanghai forward before releasing her hold on Minnie. Both dolls floated in place, much to the wonder of the children.
Alice's hands contorted a bit, as if holding an invisible puppeteer's cross. The dolls began to move, compelled as they were by some unseen force.
Incapable of speech otherwise, Alice gave them voices. High, squeaky little voices, befitting their size.
"I'm Minnie!" the brown haired doll waved. "And I'm Shanghai~" Alice's beloved doll responded in kind.
And so, they played together. They laughed together. They made mischief and got involved in doll-typical antics together.
At one point they began to dance together hand-in-hand, sweeping through the air, elegantly spinning and twirling as they went. All the while, the children looked on, seemingly absorbed by Alice's impromptu puppet show,
As it came to an end, Minnie the doll returned to Sachi's eager arms. She crushed the doll into a hug and squealed. "Oh, Minnie! You did so good!"
Alice's interaction with Shanghai was less overtly enthusiastic, but she looked satisfied as she lovingly stroked the doll's hair.
…
After a couple more minutes, it was time for the children to be on their way. Evidently, they had been walking to one of the girl's houses for lunch, and they were starting to get antsy.
Sachi wrapped her arms around Alice's waist, giving her a quick hug. "Thank you! Bye!"
And just like that, she was gone, following her friends down the road.
As the little crowd moved on, Eric found the will to speak, his voice as warm as the little display had made him feel. "I… didn't know you were so good with kids."
"Yes…" She trailed off for a moment.
"It's strange, but I… suppose that I've always had a soft spot for children…" She fiddled with a lock of hair as if it was an embarrassing thing to admit, but something twinkled in her eyes.
Eric chuckled. "Strange? No way, Alice. I… think it's sweet of you. Adorable, even." To emphasize, he once again joined his hand with hers.
Alice's cheeks flushed red, and she looked away, though she welcomed his hand all the same.
"Do… you want to walk around a little more before you have to head back? Maybe visit the market together?" he ventured.
It only took a moment for her to answer.
"Of course."
…
…
…
It was hours later than Eric found himself alone once more. Alone with nothing but his thoughts.
Stronger… He… He wanted to become stronger.
Now that he had an opportunity, a real chance to improve, he wouldn't let it go to waste.
For the first time in a while, ambition flickered within him. The desire to grow strong, both for Alice and himself.
If today had been but a sample, a taste of what was to come, then he was eager for more.
…
So many great and powerful figures called this land home. Those with the power to block out the sun, break bones with a single touch, even alter the weather at will.
He knew that he was nothing compared to them.
Even those like Alice and Marisa, those with a more 'comprehensible' level of power… He knew what they were capable of, and it was still orders of magnitude more than he even could dream of.
Would he ever be able to match their magical ability? For his name to be worthy of even being uttered upon the same breath as theirs?
He didn't know. Such a thing felt a thousand miles away.
But… he wasn't worried.
They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
And with Alice's help, he was ready to take the first.
~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~
Longer chapter, and by that I mean this is the LONGEST chapter so far. Getting close to 6k words on this one. I kept wanting to add more. Therefore, I just kept writing!
This can be considered the start of a small 'training arc' for Eric, but I likely won't go as in depth for it as I did for this first day, unless there's a strong response in favor of it. Obviously, it will continue to be touched on, but it's more so important to know that it's going on, even in the background.
Alice is excited about assuming the mantle of mentor. And… perhaps rekindling her passion of regularly slinging danmaku around again. Old habits die hard!
Of course, she wants to be a good teacher. In her mind, I'd guess that means firm, but fair. She's the expert in this dynamic. Look at her. SHE is the captain now.
Eric is excited, too! One of these days, he might even become somewhat competent. Will he ever be as good as Alice? Ha! Not for a loooong time (or ever), lol.
Still, it's only natural to want to be stronger, especially if you've got a strong someone who's willing to help get you there. (Btw, if you want a reference for what I meant for his defensive shield to look like, think 'Noelle's shield from Genshin Impact.' Kinda like that.)
Juggling the two facets of their relationship will be interesting, I think. It'd be like dating your coworker or something. You can be all lovey-dovey in your free time, but it's gotta be (mostly) professional at work~
Eventually, I also want Alice to ease towards putting on little puppet shows and stuff in the Village, like in canon.
I feel like Alice, especially this iteration of her, would like children and would be good with them. I mean, she's basically trying to create an artificial one (and Shanghai is like, her outlet for maternal feelings anyways).
Anywho~ Thanks for reading! Review if you want! Have a good day!