Author's Note:

Hello again!

I was expecting this chapter to be easier and quicker to write than the rest, since I was originally thinking of doing a lot less, but as I wrote, more and more ideas came to me that fit my plans… And then this was the result. In some ways it ended up becoming a bit of a meta chapter discussing a few things that I've been thinking about personally, so I hope that's alright.

Ah, right, before I begin, I got a nice comment from an anonymous user over on the FFN upload who pointed out some interesting facts about the history of pistols in the region at the time and some things I didn't know about. Specifically, that wheellock pistols were much more common and likely to be used rather than matchlocks. "Gun Nerd", I just wanna say appreciate you taking the time to leave that comment! I probably won't change any details about Luka's weapons for the foreseeable future, but I've taken your words into account! Thanks for the knowledge!

Anyways, this chapter ended up being a bit of a long one, but I hope you all enjoy it!

~ STAGE 9: Interlude — A Slow Start ~

[START]

Season 121

November Issue #1

——

Village Thief's Plunders Found And Returned

Up-and-coming detective agency brings an end to the spree

——

On the ◻◻th, a series of unexplained burglaries were reported by several human villagers. The description of these thefts all involved the stolen items suddenly vanishing from their owners' homes without warning or any sign of entry. None of the stolen objects seemed to have any relation to one another, ranging from family heirlooms to snacks. These disappearances were also paired with the strange appearances of a rather large boar youkai, who was always seen wandering in locations close to where the lost items were. This let to many suspecting that the two were linked.

This was proven to be the case when the youkai was apprehended thanks to the efforts of a local human detective. The youkai, Miss Rimba (babi ngepet), confessed to stealing the items but refused to offer any further details on the matter. She claimed to lack any memory of the deed, and thus wouldn't have any idea where they were stored.

It was only after an investigation by another human from the village that the stolen items were recovered. They were discovered to be hidden in small caches scattered throughout the forest surrounding the village, supposedly buried by the thief. The human responsible for finding these lost items also happened to be the leader of the 'Little Rabbit Detective Agency', a small group of allied humans forming in the Human Village. It also just so happens that the local detective who initially apprehended this amnesiac youkai was also a representative of this group.

It's rare for humans of the village to organize in any official capacity. As such, the presence of this new group raises a few questions. Could they be plotting something behind the scenes? Is some scheme being hatched away from prying eyes?

"Our work is purely to assist the villagers in their daily lives. To give them some peace of mind, and to make sure that no serious harm befalls them. I'm certain you can understand that kind of motivation."

Such were the words of the leader of this agency, Kotohime Hijikata (human). There is a grain of truth here, as the group does not seem to have taken any deliberate measures to seize power in the village. They continue to insist upon their role as a group of freelance investigators and have actively shirked away from becoming any sort of large-scale organization. While it's still unclear if they have any long-term goals, if one has any problems relating to lost items, it at least wouldn't hurt to give the Little Rabbit Detective Agency a visit.

(Shameimaru Aya)

——

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Kotohime: "My, you certainly don't pull your punches, do you?"

Aya: "I seek only to report the truth."

Kotohime: "Hm-hm. Noble words, but you rather blatantly accused us of being power-hungry, didn't you?"

Aya: "I only made an observation. It does seem like you hold some measure of authority, don't you? I've even seen you making meetings with the Hieda girl."

Kotohime: "That was just some cleanup regarding my latest job. It was nothing particularly special."

Aya: "Is that so? Care to elaborate on that?"

Kotohime: "Confidential information, I'm afraid."

Aya: "Hiding something just makes people want to pry even more, you know.

Kotohime: "Oh, I'm aware."

Aya: "That said, I do find your role rather curious. If you're solving problems so handily, it's possible the people might not even need the Hakurei shrine maiden these days."

Kotohime: "They'll certainly need her when the time arises. We're detectives, not incident resolvers."

Aya: "So you're handling the smaller-scale problems?"

Kotohime: "You could say that."

Aya: "With a group like yours running around, it certainly sounds a bit like the village is becoming more independent."

Kotohime: "Is there a problem with that?"

Aya: "It would certainly get quite a few youkai restless if humans started getting too cocky about their position in this world."

Kotohime: "Is that so? That all humans must always be inferior to youkai, in every single situation? If humans lived purely in a world run by youkai, with no sign of competent humans who are purely on their side, fear could end up running rampant."

Aya: "Isn't that a good thing?"

Kotohime: "Of course a youkai would say that. Think of it like this: If you had a rival, would you be satisfied with losing to them all of the time? Would you be able to stay encouraged, knowing that no matter what you do, they always seem to beat you at every turn?"

Aya: "Of course not."

Kotohime: "Precisely. The frustration would build, before eventually turning into despair. You would lose all hope and die without belief in yourself or the people around you. A good rivalry isn't merely one-sided. Humans need some manner of comfort to continue believing in themselves."

Aya: "Even still, thinking so progressively can be a bit dangerous."

Kotohime: "That might be so. And yet, this land of forgotten tradition, which has locked itself from all the common sense of the world, must still hold onto some form of innovation in order to prosper. You may think that mindset anachronistic, but really, is a tengu one to speak? Especially when you're carrying around something this strange."

Aya: "Huh? My camera? How did you—"

Kotohime: "I'm something of a collector of 'strange' objects. Something 'bizarre' is simply that which doesn't adhere to the current world around it. They can give us new perspectives, as I'm sure you're aware. I'm rather fond of pushing the envelope, myself, but I'm not so stupid as to risk breaking something. On the subject, here you go."

Aya: "I didn't see you even reach for it. What did you do?"

Kotohime: "Nothing special. All I'm really good at in the end is finding the 'strangeness' of an object that's sitting where it shouldn't be and 'collecting' it. I'm fine with being underestimated as a human, since I can't really do anything amazing to begin with."

Aya: "That's a far cry from your tone just a few seconds ago…"

Kotohime: "Humans are complex creatures. Bear that in mind the next time you interview one."

Aya: "All I know to bear in mind is that you're a 'strange' human. I doubt there are many like you to begin with."

Season 122

July Issue #2

——

Rare Animal Preservation Efforts

Tsuchinoko real, local hermit shows

——

Several rumors have begun circulating recently regarding a mysterious figure who has been seen wandering Gensokyo. According to eyewitness accounts, this person is reportedly collecting various strange and exotic animals spotted throughout the region. One such witness, Marisa Kirisame (human), recounts:

"I was kinda having issues lookin' after this super cute one. All he really did was eat a ton, sleep a bunch, and snore all the damn time. Right when I started wondering if I should just let him loose or not, she showed up and offered to take him off my hands. I was relieved for a sec, but then she gave me a serious pain-in-the-ass lecture for some reason."

This 'super cute one' turned out to be a 'tsuchinoko', a rare type of snake. Other eyewitnesses reported seeing the person traveling along the youkai mountain territory with all sorts of other bizarre animals. Giant birds, large tigers, and so on.

While it's not uncommon for forgotten animals to migrate to Gensokyo, it's certainly suspicious for a person to start rounding them up. For what reason could they be collecting them? As a half-animal myself, I felt a responsibility to investigate the matter further to ascertain whether this person was taking advantage of these animals or not.

After a week-long stakeout, I was finally able to locate the mysterious individual and her newly acquired tsuchinoko. The person turned out to be a hermit who referred to herself as Ibarakasen, and she was in the middle of performing what seemed to be rather diligent training exercises with the snake while a few other animals watched them dutifully. Naturally, I took the opportunity to question her on her motives.

"I'm not sure what you think I'm plotting. I'm just taking care of these animals; it's not some devious scheme."

So she said, but it seemed like the snake was refusing to follow her orders. It was clearly being forced to train against its will. I pointed this out to the hermit, and was given this response:

"This one is a bit of a problem child. He's developed a bad habit of indulging himself in vices, and doesn't seem to care about whether he causes others trouble. That's dangerous for any animal, and it can end terribly if he ends up picking a fight and getting exterminated because of it. As such, I'm taking the time to impart upon him the virtues of diligence and self-control."

So said the hermit, though she didn't seem to be making much progress. Though if that is the case, it would explain the attitudes of the other animals under her care, as they all seemed to listen to her loyally and without any sign of fear or hesitation. Despite this, it's hard for me to see this as something purely beneficial to the animals, and it's still yet unknown if the hermit has some kind of plan in-mind. If anything arises, I will certainly be the first to cover it.

(Shameimaru Aya)

——

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Ibarakasen: "You've got quite a nasty habit of launching baseless accusations, don't you?"

Aya: "It wouldn't be the first time I've covered an instance of immoral animal abuse."

Ibarakasen: "H-Huh?"

Aya: "Nevermind that. It doesn't seem like you're treating them badly, anyways. I'm still curious about your plans for these pets you've been gathering, though."

Ibarakasen: "Like I said before, I don't have any plans."

Aya: "I can't take that at face value. You can pretty your words up, but I can smell a schemer when I see one."

Ibarakasen: "—Ordinarily, I'd praise your dedication to your job, but in this case it really is leading you astray."

Aya: "Do you have an argument that would convince me of your innocence? Why would a hermit gather so many powerful and mysterious animals together at once?"

Ibarakasen: "My answer remains the same. Training."

Aya: "Training, you say? What would animals need with training?"

Ibarakasen: "You're aware that certain animals can transform into youkai, yes?"

Aya: "I've heard of that happening before, yes."

Ibarakasen: "Then you should know what an animal that becomes powerful enough, or feared enough, will eventually run the risk of turning into a youkai. Their very existence would end up changing, perhaps even causing them to lose their sense of self. What they are, who they are, it would be lost. Without a doubt, they'd turn into dangerous youkai."

Aya: "How does this connect to your training?"

Ibarakasen: "By teaching these animals appropriate discipline and by imbuing them with a virtuous spirit, I guide them away from becoming dangerous youkai. That is all."

Aya: "You say that, but you also seem to keep them around after they've completed whatever training you're giving them. I can't think of a reason why they stay with you afterwards."

Ibarakasen: "This might come as a surprise to you, but I've trained more animals than the ones you've seen. These are merely the ones who decided to stay with me, as repayment for what I've done for them. The rest continued on their own paths in life. Should this new child decide to do such, I'll gladly let him choose. That is, if he can learn to control his rampant gluttony…"

Aya: "So, there's no deeper meaning behind these actions?"

Ibarakasen: "I'm simply doing my duty."

Aya: "Hm… I could almost sense some kind of deeper, personal reason behind your words."

Ibarakasen: "Y-You're imagining things."

Aya: "Such diligence. I guess that's the kind of suffocating sensibility one could expect from a hermit."

Ibarakasen: "You know, you could stand to learn some self-control yourself."

Aya: "I've got plenty of self-control. I'm a pure and honest tengu reporter!"

Ibarakasen: "I see you haven't changed much…"

Aya: "Have we met before? You do look a bit familiar."

Ibarakasen: "Er, well, I've certainly kept up with this newspaper of yours. You still have your habit of searching for 'truths', which usually ends up being whatever you decide is most convenient for you. You're hardly 'pure' or entirely 'honest'."

Aya: "Eh?"

Ibarakasen: "Furthermore, while I'll give you credit for your hard-working attitude, you simply badger people too much. You limit your perspective and draw conclusions too hastily! If you're not careful, you might end up circulating some conspiratorial nonsense without realizing it."

Aya: "Um…"

Ibarakasen: "Of course, that's something you should be able to fix just by paying more attention. Try to be more mindful of what you write. It would be horrible if you caused trouble by writing something half-baked, you know?"

Aya: "I just came here for an interview…"

Season 122

October Issue #3

——

Outsider Spotted Eyeing Shrine

The trend of suspicious behavior continues

——

Outsiders arriving in Gensokyo has become a trend in recent years. From a certain human wandering into the human village, to a half-human, half-youkai moving into a home on the village outskirts. Most recently, a shrine housing two gods has recently moved into the youkai mountain, housing an outsider shrine maiden. While there is still much abuzz about these newcomers to Gensokyo, most of them have been able to quickly accustom to their lives here and become normal citizens of our idyllic land. One exception, however, has continued to engage in behavior that many seem to consider 'suspicious'.

A few youkai witnesses reported that the human outsider and village detective Hiro Amami made the difficult climb up the mountain with the supposed goal to investigate the arrival of the newly established Moriya Shrine. Sanae Kochiya (human?), the Moriya shrine maiden and a fellow outsider, spoke to him directly and had this to say regarding their meeting:

"He looked a little tense when he showed up, like he was worried about something. Once he saw Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako, he seemed to calm down a lot. Then he asked us some questions, like 'What's the outside world like now?' and some other little things. Once he was done, he made an offering, said a prayer, and then left. I was a little scared of him at first, but he turned out to be really nice! I wonder what he was looking for, though."

I found that entire account a little suspicious and decided to investigate further. Eventually, after some careful work, I was able to get a direct meeting with the detective.

"Uh, that? I was just following some orders Lady Kotohime gave me, yes. She was still worried about the whole 'god-faith-mountain' situation and asked me to do a little situation check on that. Mm, you can ask her for details."

After getting stonewalled there, I then spoke with Kotohime Hijikata (human):

"Oh, yes, that. Yes, I sent him out for that, so would you stop bothering him please?"

Despite continued questioning, I was unable to get any further elaboration. Suspicious indeed. I intend to continue looking into this.

(Shameimaru Aya)

——

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Hiro: "I see… That's an understandable concern to have."

Aya: "So you agree that your actions as of late have been rather strange? Actually, you've been quite suspicious for a while."

Hiro: "Ahaha… Yes, I can remember you writing a few articles on me prior to this. It makes me feel kind of popular, but I'm not sure it's a positive feeling."

Aya: "You're an outsider who has appeared recently and taken a position of power and trust in the village with little warning. It's only natural for some people to be a little unsure of you."

Hiro: "To be honest, I'm a little concerned why a tengu's being nosy with human village affairs." Isn't this just an extension of your earlier issue with Lady Kotohime…?"

Aya: "No, I've dropped that one. I hate to admit it, but I don't think I want to deal with that woman. Anyways, we're talking about you specifically."

Hiro: "I see. Well, I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you if you're expecting me to be behind some sort of complicated plot."

Aya: "Oh? So you mean you've taken to helping the villagers with such a restless attitude for zero gain?"

Hiro: "... What do you mean by that?"

Aya: "I've seen you at work. You work tirelessly, to the point I can see bags under your eyes. Yet still, you smile with such an earnest, pure energy. No one's realistically that nice. Everyone wants something. You wouldn't be putting yourself through that kind of effort if you expected nothing in return."

Hiro: "I'm… actually a little confused here. What are you saying, exactly?"

Aya: "It's rather simple. Above even your leader or your coworker, you've gathered more of the villagers' trust than any other human. If a single human gathered the trust of all the villagers, it wouldn't be a stretch to say they could be called the 'leader'. It's natural when someone helps you that you'll want to repay them somehow, right? These deeds can accumulate a sort of 'debt', which can be purposefully cashed in. Do you see what I'm saying? Your plot is obvious."

Hiro: "... Wow. Wow, um, I see what you mean. But I think there's been a serious misunderstanding. I've seen that mindset back home, too."

Aya: "Oh? Enlighten me."

Hiro: "It's true that some people will only perform acts of kindness purely to gain something beneficial. So it's natural for people to look at acts of kindness and assume 'oh, they must be scheming something'. It's common for people to suspect that someone might be hiding something."

Aya: "Any experienced person would be skeptical of excessive kindness, after all."

Hiro: "True. But, you can't just live your life expecting every nice person to be secretly masterminding something. You'll just make it harder for people to be genuinely good."

Aya: "That could leave people vulnerable to being taken advantage of, you know."

Hiro: "Life isn't about give-and-take, you know. Sometimes it's just about people who want to do good to others."

Aya: "I can't say I agree. Humans bargain with one another for food, goods, and services. Animals hunt in packs for the benefit of survival in numbers. Even gods and youkai deal in these things. No one does something for nothing. "

Hiro: "That depends on what you define as 'something'. Helping people, seeing the look of gratitude and hope on their face as they continue on with their lives, that alone can be payment."

Aya: "That sort of thinking is just the same as a god looking for faith. No matter what direction you take it, you're always trading something for something else."

Hiro: "—I've been very polite and quiet this entire conversation, but I'm going to have to ask you to shut the hell up for just a moment before I lose my temper."

Aya: "Hm?"

Hiro: "... … No, I can't hold it all in. Pardon me, but I'm going to raise my voice a bit. Morality and honesty, acts of doing good, they shouldn't be treated as capital to 'trade around'. Controlling the lives of others using systems of debt, pushing it onto them and claiming ownership over them as if that means anything, it's all ridiculous. I want nothing to do with that. The act of caring for others shouldn't come with a price tag. Please don't associate me with those greed-filled bastards, ever!" *(1)

Aya: "..."

Hiro: "... Okay! I got that out of my system. I'm sorry for making you sit through that."

Aya: "N-No, it's fine. I wasn't expecting you to have an outburst like that. Is there some story there?"

Hiro: "It's in the past. In any case, I want you to understand that I don't have any delusions of grandeur. Seizing leadership or control, it's not appealing to me. I have a home here. I have friends. I can do what makes me happy. As far as I'm concerned, that's all I need."

Aya: "I-I see."

Hiro: "... In any case, I can clearly see I've made some people uncomfortable with my actions. For that, I apologize. I'll try to be more careful in the future."

Aya: "Y-Yes, um, please do that. Thank you for your time."

*(1) — All of this was said without him breaking his smile. Neither his eyes nor his voice matched that expression.

Season 122

December Issue #4

——

Vampire's Rocket Takes Flight

Scarlet mistress's unexpected voyage begins

——

On the ◻◻th of this month, the sky was marked by the sight of a peculiar rocket ascending high above the heavens. Neither the owner nor its destination are a mystery, as Remilia Scarlet (vampire) formally announced earlier this month her plans to travel to the moon using this rocket. Her intentions are, in her own words:

"Fufufu, isn't it obvious? We're going to take over the moon."

A rather ambitious plan, though she did not elaborate on any specific details. Unsurprisingly, she is being accompanied on this voyage by the head maid of her mansion, Sakuya Izayoi (human), but it seems two others have tagged along as well. The self-proclaimed 'ordinary witch' Marisa Kirisame (human) and the shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei (human) were both sighted heading to the Scarlet Manor shortly before launch, and neither have been seen since, leading me to believe they've also departed for the moon.

It goes without saying that two unaffiliated humans tagging along on a seeming self-motivated invasion is a little strange. Unfortunately, by the time I was properly aware of their involvement, the rocket had already begun taking off. While I did attempt to pursue it, it had already crossed the heavens and beyond, leaving me unable to gather any information directly from the pair. As such, I've had to settle for interviewing known associates of the two for information:

"T-The moon? Wait, they went to the moon?! You're serious? You're not kidding?!"*(1)

"Oh, Marisa just thought it'd be interesting to sneak on and steal a ride to the moon. Maybe she's planning to steal some priceless treasures. I'm not sure what Reimu's there for, though. An emergency snack, perhaps?"*(2)

"How am I supposed to know the exact details? I know Reimu's been training really hard lately for some reason, and obviously somehow Yukari's involved, but I've got no clue if it's got anything to do with this moon business. She probably just got dragged into it somehow. Don't go asking me…" *(3)

It's a little frustrating that I can only get vague answers, but for now, I can only go off of these small crumbs of information. Is this really such a straightforward invasion, or is there something more to consider here? When our lunar invaders return, I will certainly be the first to get the full story from them.

(Shameimaru Aya)

*(1) — Hiro Amami (human), in as much disbelief as the rest of us.

*(2) — Alice Margatroid (magician), surprisingly apathetic to the whole situation.

*(3) — Luka East (half-human, half-youkai), denying involvement but seeming to know more than the rest.

——

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Luka: "Like I told you already. I don't know what the whole moon trip's about. And before you ask, no, they still haven't come back."

Aya: "So I've noticed. That would make… a week, now? Almost two?"

Luka: "Yeah. It's kind of a pain, to be honest."

Aya: "I can tell. It seems like you've been stopping by the shrine every day, shoveling snow and keeping the path clear."

Luka: "... Have you been stalking me?"

Aya: "I just fly by every now and then. My eyes are sharp enough to see you hard at work all the way from the sky. You really have taken charge of the shrine since Reimu left. Looking to steal her job?"

Luka: "Why the hell would I be interested in stealing her job? Besides, isn't that like, sacrilegious or something?"

Aya: "Ah, you are a half-youkai, aren't you? I'd almost forgotten about your whole story, to be honest."

Luka: "..."

Aya: "Speaking of, I've been meaning to ask. I overheard that you were intending to do some kind of personal investigation regarding your heritage. Gensokyo doesn't see many people with a half-human, half-youkais background, and the only one we do have hardly talks about himself. Care to share any details on that story?"

Luka: "... …"

Aya: "Hm? Hello?"

Luka: "... haven't gotten anywhere…"

Aya: "What's that?"

Luka: "I said, 'I haven't gotten anywhere'! No progress! Nothing!"

Aya: "How odd. Well, you've only been here for about a year or so."

Luka: "'Only', she says. You realize that's a pretty long time from a human's perspective, right?"

Aya: "But you're only half-human, right? So it's only half as long."

Luka: "... I'm not even going to bother challenging that."

Aya: "That aside, that's a little disappointing. I was expecting you to have done something by now."

Luka: "Yeah, well, I can't exactly nose around wherever I please. I'm not the strong type who can handle anything that comes after me the moment I waltz out of the village."

Aya: "If you ever happen to get an update, please let me know. I'll gladly cover your story. Who knows, maybe someone related to you will see your name?"

Luka: "It's been almost two years. If they were looking for me, they'd have found me by now. Plus, I can tell you just want more material. I can see it in your eyes."

Aya: "I will neither confirm nor deny that."

Almost two entire years. Luka sighed as she set the small stack of newspapers down. No matter how much she thought about it, it was hard to process. That she'd been here for that long and accomplished so little boggled her mind.

It wasn't like she had spent her time doing nothing. She'd been searching up any lead she could find, all the while practicing how to fight by Spellcard rules, trying to master flight, all of it. But like everything else, time seemed to fly in Gensokyo. Major events started happening, big players began moving in, and before long her issue seemed like a minor grievance. Weak and strong youkai alike always came out in droves (which hardly helped her problem), leaving Reimu and Marisa to charge out like some kind of fantasy heroes. It was hard for her to feel important, in the grand scheme of things. It was even harder to plan her next move when things were always so turbulent.

"Luka!" A light, cheerful voice called her from her mental fog. "The day isn't over yet, so could you help me serve these tables, please?"

"Ah, sorry Miyoi! I'll be right there!"

Her main issue aside, there was also the matter of needing to put food on the table. Geidontei wasn't a bustling business, nor was it dead quiet, which made it feel close to home. The smell of food and alcohol; a small hole-in-the-wall where customers chatted to their hearts' content. Even with the cultural gap, it didn't take long for the barmaid to readjust to the job.

It helped that she managed to find a friend.

"Phew…" After politely holding the door for the last customer of the night, Luka gently slid the door shut and turned off her customer-service-mode. "That was busier than usual…"

"You look tense." The voice from before called out to her. "They say a good drink can help with that."

At the counter, her pink-haired coworker, Miyoi Okunoda, gave a sunny smile. Still wearing her work kimono, her entire look reminded Luka of sea foam; bubbly and light, like a baby whale drifting peacefully amidst the waves. As usual, she was hardly winded by the busy night they'd just had. If Luka was good at her job, Miyoi was even better; the girl was practically a master barmaid. It was natural to only see the friendly waitress as the ever-reliable poster girl of the pub.

Even while she set down a glass bottle and cup with a strange shine in her eye, she fit the bill perfectly as a normal, peppy human girl.

Luka eyed the unlabeled bottle as she took a seat. "I don't recognize this one. Some new batch you've brewed?"

"You could say that." Miyoi's smile deepend. "It's rice shōchū—a bit of a test batch I've been saving."

"Oh, so I'm the guinea pig yet again."

They both shared a laugh. Anyone looking from the outside would assume they were just two co-workers chatting over an after-hours drink. To be fair, that wasn't entirely inaccurate. But…

"... Owner's already gone for the night, huh?" Luka's eyes scanned the interior of the pub. "In that case, we can talk normally."

It was a subtle motion, but Miyoi's shoulders slumped. An entire body's worth of tension was released as she dropped her 'mask' after an entire day of holding it.

That was natural for a youkai pretending to be human, after all.

Storytime! There was once a barmaid named Luka who took a job working at a pub in a human village. Her coworker, Miyoi, seemed totally normal. But as time went by, Luka began noticing things. Recurring instances of customers having terrible youkai-related nightmares after getting drunk at the pub and then never being able to recall the previous night. All those drunk customers, coincidentally, were served by Miyoi. Whenever the topic came up, she always seemed to push the topic aside for some weird reason. They probably just blacked out from drinking too much, you know? It's probably nothing! It wasn't the weirdest thing to insist upon, but with how similar each incident was, there was an odd smell to the whole thing.

Luka let it slide at first, but then they started happening again—this time less frequently. Once again, it only ever seemed to happen to the drunken customers Miyoi served. Luka subtly questioned her about it, wondering if some youkai was messing with the girl, only for Miyoi to yet again dodge the subject.

Then, one night after work, Miyoi offered her a drink.

It should've just been seen as a friendly gesture. But Luka could tell, something unseen was bubbling just inside the glass. It would've been wise to turn it down. Maybe even ask Reimu or Marisa for help.

Her choice back then was the same thing she did now. Without stopping to enjoy the aroma, Luka downed cup after cup, slowly emptying the full bottle like she was taking shots. "Ah…" A satisfied sigh and a lingering burn in her throat. Actually, a stronger burn than usual. Way stronger, even. It definitely overpowered the normally savory taste of something like rice shōchū.

Miyoi studied Luka carefully. "Well? Feel anything?"

Luka rolled her shoulders and rubbed her neck. "No, nothing in particular. Not even a buzz."

This was Luka's special trick, something very few people in Gensokyo knew about: her alcohol tolerance. No matter what drink was put in front of her, she rarely ever ended up drunk. In fact, getting her drunk was actually a challenge. Her dad would always crack jokes that it was probably some kind of natural immunity from being the daughter of a bar owner.

(He stopped making the joke when the story somehow telephone-game'd into him actually giving a kid alcohol, which got them a surprise CPS agent at their door. That was a long night...)

"Drat." Miyoi's shoulders slumped. "I thought for sure this one would work."

Miyoi's ability. She could mess with the memories of anyone who got drunk off of her alcohol, to the point of viewing them, inserting new ones, even causing them to hallucinate if she so desired. That ability only worked if they got drunk, however. And just like back then, no matter what Miyoi threw at Luka, she was as sober as if she'd been giving her water.

It was a gambit to face someone creating nightmares with drinks on their home turf, but she did it for a reason. Luka knew what a proper hard-worker looked like. If Miyoi was only there to cause trouble, her smile wouldn't have been so sincere. Her work ethic would've been transparent, shallow. Luka could tell the difference.

Luka drank. And drank. And drank. Whether it was then or now, none of it affected her. She remembered Miyoi squirming as the alcohol came and went. Hm, you're sure offering me a lot of drinks tonight. Did I look upset about something? Luka had quipped. I'm not really the sort who drinks to 'forget', y'know? Slowly but surely the pressure on the girl built, until, like an egg in a trash compactor, Miyoi broke.

After some proper interrogation, the whole story came out. It was a bit of a stretch at the time, but her guess was correct: Miyoi was a youkai, and she had been doing exactly what Luka suspected.

The girl panicked at first, begging and pleading for Luka not to tell anyone. She got about three sentences in before Luka shushed her, but not for the reasons she was expecting.

All Luka wanted to do was correct an issue. She had no intention of ratting Miyoi out to any 'exterminator'. Whether she was a youkai or not, what reason did Luka have to bring the hammer down on someone who was clearly sincere about her work? Her only problem was Miyoi messing with their customers, and that kind of disagreement didn't need to leave the pub.

Once that was settled, she promised to keep Miyoi's secret. Maybe it was because of that trust that Miyoi slowly began to open up and talk to Luka more. They started talking more, and eventually, Luka shared her own dilemma.

It was then that the two of them hatched an idea.

"How much actual alcohol did you put in this?" Luka asked.

Miyoi paused to think. "Over half of the drink. Maybe 60%? It should've been more than enough to trigger my ability."

"60%'s not gonna be enough." Luka frowned and passed the empty bottle and cup back to Miyoi. "We'd probably need something like absinthe to even make me flinch, but I have no clue where we'd even get the stuff to make that here."

The ability to manipulate memories. A girl who needed to look for some kind of suppressed memories. It was a perfect fix for her problems. Or at least, it should have been.

As was plainly evident, Luka's alternate plan for gathering information wasn't going over very well, courtesy of her normally helpful hidden superpower. At least she got a friend out of the deal.

"What about those tengu newspapers you've been borrowing from the shrine maiden?" Miyoi asked, glancing at the stack on the counter. "Have you seen anything there yet?"

Luka rested her face in her hands depressively.

"... I'm sorry." Miyoi bowed her head.

"No, it's fine." Luka sighed. "You wouldn't have happened to overhear anything from the customers that I somehow missed?"

Miyoi shook her head as she wiped down the cup in her hands. "Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything. All everyone's been talking about is that vampire's weird moon trip."

Right. That lunar invasion thing…

That was another thing. Reimu and Marisa seemed to continue on with their own adventures, leaving Luka behind. That was fine, she didn't mind that part. Their lives didn't suddenly start or stop depending on Luka's presence. But seeing things in Gensokyo just resume as-normal, with absolutely nothing happening on her end…

Miyoi read her expression and tried to smile encouragingly. "Um, I'm sure you'll find something soon!"

"It's fine." Luka said. "I haven't been expecting much lately, anyways."

Luka tried to sound calm. She might have even seemed quiet and cool if one just looked at her from the outside. On the inside? A slow, crushing feeling started to form around her.

An entire year. More than a year—almost two. And she had absolutely nothing to show for it. Luka had practically forgotten about Yukari by now. She was starting to doubt there really was a plan after all. By now, she should have found some kind of lead to chase—something, anything.

Two years in another world, and she still didn't even know what she was there for.

She sat in silence for a few moments, with only the sound of Miyoi working and humming to herself.

"... Hey, Miyoi." Luka muttered. "Have you ever…" She shook her head. "Nevermind, it's a dumb question."

Miyoi stopped and glanced at her. "? Luka, we've friends. I don't mind answering a question for you." A gentle smile.

She hesitated. "Have… Do you ever think about why you're here? Why you were born?"

Miyoi paused to think. "I think everyone has, at least once. That's a normal thought."

"Even youkai?" Luka asked.

Miyoi blinked. "What's that supposed to mean? We think about that sort of thing sometimes, too."

"... Yeah, that was kind of stupid to say." Luka slumped forward. "Though to be honest, I just assumed since you guys kinda just… 'formed', you came with some kind of understanding of what you're here for."

"Your idea isn't entirely wrong." Miyoi said. "To some extent we know what we're about and what our existence is for, but it's not like everything we are is set in stone like that. Well, except for one thing."

"That being?"

Miyoi smiled half-heartedly. "The usual. No matter what, all youkai are inevitably the enemies of mankind."

That sentiment. Luka always heard the villagers echoing it. How youkai were to be feared and despised.

… Even after hearing it for so long, something about it bothered her. "How does something like a half-youkai happen, then?"

"Huh?"

"A half-human, half-youkai." Luka said. "If human and youkai are supposed to always be enemies, with zero exceptions, then how can a half-youkai exist?"

Miyoi seemed to pause, and a complicated expression formed on her face. "I guess there are a few special cases, but…"

Miyoi trailed off. She clearly wasn't the person to ask a question like that.

"Nevermind, let's just backtrack." Luka said. "You're, what, a zashiki-warashi?" She saw Miyoi glance at the door to the pub to make sure no one was listening in. After a pause, "You guys are all about bringing good luck and stuff. You know what you're here for, what you can do. How'd you figure that out?"

There was a long pause. Miyoi looked around at the interior of Geidontei, her eyes contemplative. "I don't know."

"... You 'don't know'?"

"It's like I said before. I didn't form into this world with some deep reason behind what I do. I just started doing it. That doesn't mean things didn't get confusing along the way, or that I didn't feel lost until then. But…" Miyoi ran her hand across the wooden counter. "Somehow, I found my way here." Warmth mixed with a firm resolve, all of it written on her face. "This place became my home. I found a place I felt like I belonged. And whether it's Geidontei, or the name it had before, or the name it had before that, it's my home. It's my 'reason' now."

Luka felt her chest get tight. "Did you ever have a place you felt happy before you came here? That felt like it could've been your 'reason' before you found the real one?"

"... There were a few." Miyoi looked wistful. "But, deep down, some part of me knew those places weren't the place I really wanted to be. It was hard saying goodbye."

"..." Luka offered Miyoi a smile. "Well, hey. You got to say goodbye. That's good."

Miyoi frowned. "You don't have to force yourself."

"Yeah. I know."

… After a complicated silence, Luka decided that was a sign to head out for the night. She grabbed the newspapers she'd been reading and her jacket and left behind the warm pub, stepping into the dark winter night.

Their conversation lingered in her mind. A small but friendly home. A grinning father. The smell of alcohol and good cheer. It made her feel small and pathetic to keep whining to herself about it. But she couldn't stop remembering what was left behind.

One world where she thought she had what she wanted, traded for another where she'd still yet to figure out how to take her first steps. She wasn't sure if it was the cold air or her own mental pressure weighing so heavily on her. She pulled her jacket a little tighter around her.

Past the gate and a watchful Meira, Luka looked at the path to her house. It wasn't very far, and she could see it clearly. Kotohime had spoken to the same people who had constructed her office building, apparently, leading to a small but sturdy Western-styled cabin. At the very least, it gave her a bed and a roof over her head, which was more than enough.

That wasn't where she was going, though. Luka started a march up the snow-covered mountain, her mind set once again on Reimu's shrine. Only the cold moonlight overhead lit her path.

The trip would've been much quicker and a lot safer if she flew instead of walking. There wouldn't have been any worry of any youkai ambushing her on the path. Two years should have been enough time for anyone to master flight, right?

She walked. And walked. She kept walking, and eventually stopped with a harsh stomp.

"..." Luka groaned and folded the newspapers into her jacket. "Okay, not in the mood." She produced her two pistols in a single fluid motion.

The sounds of gunshots and danmaku rang out for a couple seconds.

After several resounding blasts, like magic fireworks going off, several child-sized fairies who had been sneaking around in the trees, were left unconscious in the snow. The remainder, realizing their target wasn't some schmuck, scattered like gnats fleeing a swatter.

"Quit trying to prank the people who walk up here. You guys are half the reason Reimu's so poor." Luka huffed and holstered her guns. She couldn't fly yet. But at the very least, if they were small fries, she could fight. That was the practiced skill she'd gained from her year in Gensokyo. The power to handle even an organized group of fairies without much issue.

The rest of the hike was quiet. A long, tedious trip without much happening. She arrived at the hollow, lonely snow-covered shrine. Not even Genjii was around, the old turtle having retired to his pond for the winter season. Luka was alone.

She wondered how Reimu survived staying in such a depressing place. Luka had no intention of praying, but with a few precise flicks, she left some coins in the shrine's donation box. Just as much as she could afford with her current income. Hopefully the moon business was going well, whatever it was.

"Okay, with that charity work done, time for the other charity work…"

She did the normal shoveling she'd been doing since Reimu left. There wasn't any special reason as to why she was doing it. It wasn't even for thanks, really. Luka just figured it'd suck coming back to a messy home. Plus it was fun to clean. Clear the snow, clear the shrine, clear her mind. Luka tried to focus only on the moment right in front of her.

With that done, she made her way to the storage shed beside the shrine. Sliding one pistol out and holding her finger to the trigger, she visualized the concept of firing a 'bullet' and thought about it holding its spot. Like flicking a click lighter, the 'bullet' formed right at the barrel of the gun and held its spot. Luka liked to think of it as the world's most visually confusing torch.

She saw in the lit room her work was still as she left it. One stack of ordered newspapers that she'd already gone through, another unordered that she'd yet to touch. The plan was pretty simple: since she couldn't outright leave the village, she'd use the crow's newspaper articles as research material. If she saw anything that stirred up the weird images she saw in her dreams, then she'd use it as a reference. The idea to go through them was a recent one, and it seemed like it would be one with promise.

As it stood, though, she was more than halfway through every paper in the shed and she hadn't seen anything worthwhile. It didn't help that Reimu organized newspapers about as well as she did her own thoughts. Random dates and articles strewn about with no real care—Luka hoped she wouldn't mind her sorting them as she went, because there was zero chance they were getting put back the way she found them.

Looking over the stacks, she only had a few left unread. Somewhere in there was a lead. There had to be. If there wasn't, she was out of ideas. There wasn't going to be anything else besides throwing herself to a random direction in Gensokyo and probably dying somehow. So, no pressure.

A chill hovering over her, Luka got to reading. Article after article. Page after page. She didn't sleep. She didn't rest. Even when she started wanting to pelt the crow who wrote such wordy articles with a stale cracker, she kept going.

Two years of readying for a lead. Two years of preparing for her journey to actually start.

All of it, in some cosmic prank, finally brought her to what she wanted, all the way in the very last newspaper she read:

'The Midwinter Moon's Great Explosion'. The title wasn't particularly special, nor did the contents immediately speak to her. But as she read, a buzz started in her head. A weak splitting sensation, a lesser version of the same one she got when she looked at Yukari's face. It came each time she read a single name in the article, and it reached a critical point the moment she saw the accompanying picture:

A short woman with horns and long hair, flaunting an alcohol-filled gourd in her hands. Her expression was wild and carefree, like a regular partygoer always chasing the next high.

'Suika Ibuki (oni).'

There. There was her first lead.

Author's Note:

And thus brings a close to the "Arrival" arc, the very beginning of this long story. Next up will be our first steps into the lengthy mystery of Luka's existence. I'm really excited to finally have gotten here after meandering for so long! Like Extra 2, part of this chapter had another bout of borrowing inspiration/format from another series of print works. I hope I was able to do it justice. If you're curious about the original, check out Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red!

Some of you might not believe me, but this time skip really was planned in-advance. It really wasn't intended to be a self-made commentary on the fact I've been writing this story for over two years with no real plot advancement! Seriously, I'm being honest! It was partially a consequence of me not realizing how long of a gap there was between certain events in the series, which left me in a bit of a bind. I'd been agonizing over it for a while wondering how to bridge that gap, and this was ultimately what I came up with. I wonder if it's too much of a stretch…

This time we featured a few different characters in a variety of news articles. Some of these were written for plot-related reasons, others were made to answer questions I've seen some people raise while reading. All-in-all, it was fun to feature so many characters having all sorts of conversations.

I've probably said this before, but I try to write this story as something newer fans of the series can enjoy, even if they don't know the lore. I want this to be something someone new can read that can really pique their interest in Touhou as a whole, giving them a wide variety of places they can go next to learn more about the characters who appear in this story. Whether they're minor or major characters, I try to give everyone the best representation I can, and Miyoi's no exception. I consider this my own personal responsibility as a fanwork creator—to get more people interested in the actual series as a whole. We all just want to talk about the series and characters we like, right?

As a closing note, please read Lotus Eaters! It's really good! See you next time!