After a few minutes chasing the sounds around, we find ourselves on our way to the event hall, and as we approach it, we see a wall of purple smoke coming out of the doors. A scuffle can be heard inside of the room, mixed with explosions and whooshing sounds, with the vocational laughter of Lady Flandre.

"My goodness! They are wrecking the hall!" I exclaimed, "We must stop Lady Flandre now!"

"Now now Sakuya! Hold it," Milady stopped me as she put her arm in front of me to stop me from going in, "I did say Flan could use a stretch once in a while…"

"But Milady! Your hall! The tanker!" I protest to my mistress.

"Not to worry! Patchy will help me with the damages…" She kept acting calm.

"As for our guest… I don't hear any calls for help."

"EAT SHIT!" The voice of the tanker could be heard echoing inside the hall.

"Make me Smokey!" Lady Flandre's voice was heard afterwards.

"On the contrary, they're having a blast!" Milady remarked, "I'd join the fun, but it looks like Flan is having fun, let her play won't cha?"

"If you are sure of it, Milady…" I responded.

20 mins later…

The smoke had now lowered in intensity and we could see part of the hall and the aftermath of it: Mix of the purple smoke and regular burning smoke lingering on the ground, multiple scratches around the walls and the floor, ashes and burnt cloth scattered around, multiple tables missing, etc.

Lady Flandre and the tanker were nowhere to be seen however, but since the sounds appear to have completely died down, and no windows appear to be broken miraculously, it's improbable they escaped.

"Over here!" His voice exclaimed to the far left.

Milady and I came to where we heard and we found both of them.

Lady Flandre and the tanker lay upon the wall around ashes and smoke. She is laying next to him, hugging him from the left arm tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder, asleep? She Appears to have sustained minor injuries, of course she can regenerate her damage quite instantly but her clothing was quite damaged and ripped around many areas, but her outfit was recognizable as always.

The tanker on the other hand… was scorched. His pants lower area completely vanished and gave the appearance of shorts, from his left shoulder to the waist in a diagonal line missing half of his upper clothing, showing a majority of his chest and his mask was completely painted black from the soot. He was giving a thousand yard stare towards his front view with a sight as big as lightbulbs.

"She's very tired… I don't wanna wake her up, mind lending me a hand?" he said between deep breaths.

"I'll take care of that." Milady said as she kneeled down and picked Lady Flandre up.

"Don't worry about all this, It's something that comes when treating my sister."

"You girls need hobbies."

"Oh but you both had a great time dontcha? I've never seen my sister this tired from playtime!"

"May I ask a favor? nearest balcony? Now. I need some fresh air." He said as he struggled to get up.

"Sakuya Please guide our guest to the gardens, let him catch his breath." Milady said as she adjusted herself as she carried Lady Flandre.

"As you wish." I responded.

I took the tanker's hand and lifted him up off the ground to his feet.

"Thanks, the garden actually sounds better, thankfully I know my way there…" He said.

"But em… I'm as beaten as an egg, mind lending me some support?" he continued as he took the wall as support.

"Sakuya do keep an eye on him will ya?" My mistress said as she went to exit the hall.

"Yes Milady, If you allow me…" I said as I got closer to him to serve as support.

"Lead the way." He said as he holded my shoulder.

We both now find ourselves within the garden's entrance after I struggled with the tanker's current pace.

"Drop me off on that bench will ya." the tanker said as he pointed towards the nearest bench within our range.

I take him to where he wants and carefully seat him on the right side. I took the left side as I was tired from taking him.

I stayed in silence to take my breath, but the tanker sounds more exhausted, he panted very deeply with a distinct wheezing noise.

"Are you ok?" I said to him,

"haah…haah… I've recently learned that I got nothing inside me… So why do I feel like I have a fractured sternum…" He says in between pants.

"That girl is no joke when fighting… How come I've never seen her?"

"Lady Remilia is quite picky about who can meet Flandre, and many do not want to willingly." I said.

"Sometimes she sneaks out of the basement into the mansion just to play, Maybe she happened to have a look at you while sh-"

"Why do you keep her in the basement in the first place, I'm no psychiatrist… but that is rather unhealthy" he interrupted me

"That's Lady Remilia's actions, I only enforce the rules she established."

Then I hear a flick sound. I turn my head towards the tanker, and I see he has a cigarette in mouth already and is lighting it on.

"That should numb the pain…" he grunted as he exhaled smoke, but was considerate to not direct it towards me.

"Anyhow… Back when she was looking for me, I happened to witness something. an ability like no other, everytime she "held" something, It bursted into nothing, Is that why she is locked up?" he continued as he took another puff.

"Lady Flandre possesses an ability like no other: The ability to destroy absolutely anything. something with such potential is very harmful even for her existence. If a vampire no longer counts with a source of food, what purpose do they have to live in this world?" I explained.

"I see…" The tanker nodded

"May I tell you a secret?" I said to the tanker

"sure…" he accorded as he huffed smoke

"The whole reason for the Scarlet mist incident was not because of Lady Remilia's desire to explore the world… but to let Lady Flandre have a new life. We have tried other methods but mostly required stupid requirements. This incident was the most natural way for her to explore her surroundings despite the harmful effect it had on Gensokyo." I continued.

"Sometimes the easiest ways are the most harmful," The tanker said, "take for example smoking, a feeling that can null stress easily, but so harmful to the body long term. Drinking also has the same effect and also can affect the lives of those around us. for a change to have a true good intention and almost no impact, it's hard and takes a load of dedication to make it work, never half-ass it."

"That is quite interesting…" I responded to his take.

"But of course, It's never too late to make a change, it just takes dedication and heart." he said as he took a deep look at me.

our sights crossed for a little while as he then turned away to take another puff of his very short cigarette.

"I will say, If she has that ability, Why didn't it affect me?" he pondered

"Huh?"

"I recall something Patchouli said about my abilities, something about my smoke possessing magic suppressing abilities. and Flandre kept saying about "not seeing my eye" or something. whatever that was, she gave one hell of a fight!" He continued.

"I've never seen Lady Flandre that tired before as well, and for someone to survive an encounter like that! You are one strange individual Mr. Canmoore." I said in a surprised tone.

"Thank you…" he responded.

After his smoke was completely burned out, he takes another one out of his pocket and lights it.

"What does that feel like?" I asked him.

"You never smoked before?" He responded with a cigarette still in mouth.

"Never, Cigarettes are a deluxe commodity in Gensokyo, and Milady dislikes it."

"Good for her, Don't even get into it." He responded.

"But I can tell that it depends on people. Everyone feels light headed if you take too many puffs, but for me, I feel my vision shutter like a camera, but the feeling is delightful."

"May I?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I am not someone to stop you but I highly recommend against it." He adds as he passes me the cigarette.

I pinch it with my index finger and thumb, and after inspecting it for a while, I hesitantly move it closer to my lips and take a big puff.

"Easy, easy! You are gonna choke!" The tanker took the cigarette off my hands, but I already had smoke on my lungs.

The sensation was so overpowering and very nauseating, how can he enjoy something like this? The sheer shock of him taking the cigarette off my hands and the sudden creeping sensation up my lungs and mouth make me cough hard.

"*Cough! Cough!"

"Told ya… It's really not for everyone." the tanker chuckled.

"How can you enjoy something this terrible?" I was genuinely perplexed.

"Practice… and pretty much the addiction. If I had an organic body at this point, I'd have cancer long ago."

"But still, That girl is bottled up. After we finished mauling each other, she went on about how she really desires someone to play with, and although her definition of "playtime" is quite unhinged, she really has no intention of hurting amazingly. She told me that she has no problems with staying down there, she just looks for permanent company."

"It's a curse for her if you look at it in a certain way, her toys pretty much don't last with her, and Lady Flandre forgot how interactions with humans really work. No one has the energy and courage to keep up with her" I said as I breathe to clean the awful taste off my mouth.

"That change would take quite a lot, but with a vampire's lifespan… She has plenty to learn new things… I'm sure things will look in Flandre's favor, never late for that I am sure of that." he concluded.

…

"Mr. Canmoore?" I said

"Hmm?"

"I want to thank you…"

"What for?" he asked.

"I initially thought you were just some run-of-the-mill illiterate rogue, but I find your knowledge of the mind impressive! you have a quite extensive comprehension of philosophy. back when you let your thoughts off, I thought you had spiteful reasons for it, but thinking about it, you are very perceptive about my current situation with time, for so long I've been looking out for someone, that I forgot to take care of myself, I've forgotten how to be the true me. I want to thank you for letting me know what was missing. I shall find my true self."

"It's no philosophy. Just be a gentleman, never half-ass things and take your pace, time might be limited, but it's only you who can manage that time, never let anyone do it for you." he nodded

And for a moment, I take a deep look into his neon eyes, his look no longer feels on guard, he feels more… in trust, relaxed, caring…

"Man I feel very shaken and really tensed up, I'm gonna go down to the bathing room for a steaming… Do you have an extra outfit to replace this mess?" He sighed as he turned away and rested on the wall of the mansion.

"Unfortunately that was the only outfit we had, But I can take it to Lady Patchouli so she can restore it. I'll just need you to hand it to me and I'll take it as soon as I can!"

"Lovely, In the meantime I'll use my change of clothes then" He said as he struggled to get up the bench.

"Here! allow me." I said as I gently lifted Plyush up his seat.

"I shall take you there, you rest for now."

The very next morning…

"And you survived?!"

"Geez, why does everyone here think a lot of it? I don't think it's such a big deal."

After the short lived events that happened yesterday, I spent another day inside the library, but this time I went to Patchouli to tell her about the encounter I had yesterday with this Lady Flandre Scarlet, who is Remilia's young sister.

"It's the biggest of deals! Only few have survived encounters with Flandre, and a foreigner at that!" Patchouli expressed her surprise.

"She is just a very energetic kid! You gotta give it to her how lonely it feels for her." I kept protesting.

"Her powers are just very hard to keep in check, and her behavior is very unpredictable, but not as generous as her sister."

"You guys are not even trying… just lock her up and call it a day?" I mocked.

"It's impossible to try unless you know that you are walking to a guaranteed demise. How her abilities did not work on you, it's a massive breakthrough!" Patchouli kept saying.

"Maybe that thing you said about my smoke had something to do with it?" I asked her.

"I am not sure, magic suppressing abilities is one thing, but spiritual blocking? Flandre's abilities have something to do with spiritual manipulation of "eyes" as she calls it, so it's possible your smoke does possess general smokescreen abilities" She concluded.

"Lucky me."

*Ahem…

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, Patchouli and I turn our heads to the direction of the sound, and we are greeted by Sakuya, but her face expresses relief of sorts, as if a big weight was taken off her.

"Mr. Canmoore, Lady Remilia requires your presence at once, She would like to discuss an interesting offer once more." She explained to me.

"If it's THAT again, I'm afraid I have t-"

"She promises it's not something like that again, but it's something that Lady Remilia needs to discuss now." Sakuya Interrupted me.

"Oh… what could it be?" I asked

"She'd like to discuss it directly with you."

Well, I think she is gonna scold me for wrecking her event room. but in all honesty, I did go all out on her sis…

"Well then… Let us go."

"Careful Plyush, Lady Remilia Is as graceful and unpredictable as a feather in the wind." Patchouli gave me her "blessing" as I accompanied Sakuya to Remilia's room.

As we arrived at the doors, I offered to open them Instead of her, but Sakuya insisted on her doing it to not worsen my injuries, but I just went ahead and opened the door for her.

"Missing an eye, missing a finger or missing a leg… a gentleman is a gentleman." I said I set myself aside for her to enter.

"Ladies First!" I waved towards the room.

Sakuya only gives me a subtle Smile and proceeds to enter. To which I follow.

After I enter the room, I turn to close the door again, while it is quite heavy, I manage to get it done.

"Doggy!"

But as soon as I finished closing the door, I heard a yell behind me, the sound of a little girl, one very familiar. I turn back into the room, and I am greeted with Flandre running at me at full speed.

"You're not broken!" She yelled as she leaped at me with her arms open wide.

I had little to no time to react to Flandre's pounce, and just leaned back by instinct, but Flandre managed to catch me, and both of us went full force down the floor.

Flandre just kept hugging me hard and she kept saying how glad she was for "her toy to not be broken for the first time"?

"I knew something about you was special, I kept thinking a lot on what we can play! We can go play more Hide and seek, or we can play tag… Ooo how about Charades!" She kept saying, clearly excited to see me.

But all I could say in response was a long wheeze, as she kept hugging me very tight in my upper chest.

"Milady, I think you are hugging him just a bit too tight." Sakuya said as she looked to Flandre

"Nonsense! He is one of the strongest toys I've ever met!" She responded as she hugged tighter and tighter.

"T-toy?" I huffed in remark to what she said.

"Flan, Please let our Guest catch a breath." Remilia's voice sounded from her throne.

"Sorry!" She said and as soon as she loosened her grip, I gasped for air.

Flan got up and ran back to Remillia.

"She seems to like me a lot…" I said as I too tried to get up, in which Sakuya put her hand to me to help me.

"I've never seen Lady Flandre this excited." Sakuya added as she lifted me up.

As I catched my breath once more, both of us got closer to Remilia's throne, now that I remember, she did have another offer.

"As you may have recently known, this is my sister, Flandre Scarlet, and I am sure you are aware of her powers…" Remilia said

"It's not like I wanted to know, but it just happened." I added

"You may have also known that she spends quite a lot of her time in our basement…" Remilia continued

"Sis you know I have no problem with that, but you always bring me weak toys to pass time, it does get boring down there you know!" Flandre Pouted.

"But in my 500 Years, Never have I witnessed one immune to Flandre's powers, and let a lone one so energetic to keep up with her! You have seriously impressed me!"

"Barely kept up, it's been ages since I've warmed up for such an intense fight" I said as I still remember the fight.

"Then maybe this offer would pique your interest… I want you to act as Flandre's Playmate, 2 times a week, you will also have access to Voile and other commodities, You have proven yourself to be a worthy visitor during this week, an achievement very few have."

"As much as I appreciate those comments, 2 times a week, and with how I experienced Flandre's play style, it's gonna be very tiring quickly, it's simply too much work." I debated

"We will provide service if needed, sakuya and the staff will be at your orders." Remilia negotiates

"Please don't, If the fairy maid can barely carry dishes without breaking them, it's not gonna work for them."

"Relax, I've never done harm to any of the clumsy maids here! And they are very good actors for doll time!" Flandre adds.

"I do advise you to think this one through." Remilia pressures.

"How about this… I still got more info to collect, but I also would be attending Flandre. I will be going to the mansion, BUT no time per week, I can go there whenever I'd like, so I could go there multiple times a week and I could take my time to rest and explore Gensokyo. I shall dedicate the entire time with Flandre, But My Robotic Companion gets to be in the Library and investigate in my place." I said.

"YOU HAVE A ROBOT?! Sis let him, accept that! please please please please please please pretty please!" Flandre Begs.

"It seems I have no choice… You have a deal!" Remilia exclaims in approval.

"Yaaaaay! I wanna play, Can we play now doggy?"

"At your approval Lady Remilia?" I direct towards Remilia

"You are allowed." She approves.

"Great! What do you have in mind, Flandre?"

She then proceeds to show me something she is holding on both hands and hanging like a string, as she gives me this tilted head closed eyed look with a big ear-to-ear smile.

…

It's a dog collar…

"no, no… absolutely not, ABSOLU-"

And now I find Myself in Flan's room (I was told she likes to be called that),seated on the floor, with a dog collar around my neck playing "dog" with flandre.

"Ok, Roll!" Flan commands.

I do as she wants and a roll to the left and back.

"Shake!"

I give her my hand and she shakes it with two hands.

"Lay up!"

I lean onto my back as if I was exposing my belly and then back to seating.

"Bark!"

And despite following those orders, this one feels much more mundane. I show hesitation as my eyes look away from flandre and into the right.

"Bark…" Flandre keeps waiting as she begins to give me a sinister look.

…

"...woof…"

"Good Boy!"