As fun as it was to encounter a stranger at one's door, Alice felt the need to decompress.
And so, she relaxed, letting the familiar plush of her couch soothe the mild anxiety that lingered in the back of her mind.
Meeting new people was not easy.
Although…
She had to admit that this particular meeting had ended up being a pleasant one. Her new acquaintance struck her as a bit self-conscious, but also sincere, good-natured, and encouraging.
Perhaps a little bit of that positive energy had rubbed off on her during their conversation.
Once the topic of discussion had shifted to her dolls, there was no turning back. She was... a little embarrassed that she'd rambled on about them for so long to a complete stranger, but it was okay.
As it turned out, he seemed to be a rather active listener. He'd shown interest and asked questions.
It… was nice.
…
What exactly was it that she'd felt earlier? It had gone away as soon as Eric was out of sight, but that only left her with more questions.
Why had he supposedly felt it, too? Was it really something as ambiguous as fate? Did she need a second opinion from Patchouli? From Remilia even?
"What does it all mean?" she whispered aloud to no one in particular.
…
After a little while, another feeling made itself apparent. It was a subtle longing, like a piece of her was missing.
Alice sat up straighter on the couch and sighed. Now, this was a feeling she'd experienced before.
She missed Shanghai.
Already? Why must I be like this?
She... found it just a little bit pathetic how quickly she yearned for Shanghai's return. It hadn't even been a full hour yet.
Maybe she should have escorted the human to the Village after all…
…
She needed something to distract herself. Something to occupy her mind.
And so, Alice rose from her seat and made her way into her small kitchen.
It was large enough for one person (or several dolls) to cook comfortably, but it was small enough to fit neatly into her home's floor plan. Attached to the kitchen was a dining room furnished with a square dining table and four wooden chairs.
She had carved the wood herself, opting for a simple style with just a bit of elegance. In her opinion, they were quite tasteful.
...Not that there was anyone else around to argue otherwise.
Atop the dining room table was a wooden platform with a large glass bell jar. Neatly arranged inside the jar were the gifts Eric had given her. Alice lifted the glass cover and took a closer look.
The food consisted of two rolls of bread and 3 slices of some sort of tart. The tart appeared to be one made with multiple kinds of berries.
It all looked… rather appetizing actually. Although Alice did not strictly require food to survive, she found that she still enjoyed the act of eating.
Two dolls brought in a fork and a plate and set them on the table in front of her. .
After thanking them and taking her seat, she opted to try one of the tarts. She cut a small piece off and gave it a small sniff.
It smelled pretty appetizing, too.
She took a bite.
…
It tasted great.
The tart was sweet without being sickly so. The mix of berries lent a pleasant blend of flavors. Its overall quality was definitely on par with what she and her dolls could make.
Alice took a second bite.
Or maybe it was a little better.
Now, Alice was no slouch when it came to cooking. She had been cooking for herself for so long that she considered herself skilled enough to put together delicious meals with little trouble. And with multiple dolls handy, she could even hasten cooking times by doing multiple things at once.
She took another bite.
But this... was outstanding.
It wasn't long until she finished the slice.
Her curiosity indulged, she had two more dolls take care of the dishes she had dirtied, and then she stepped her way back into the living room.
...
It... was getting late.
She had a trip into town the next day to plan for, after all, so Alice decided to retire for the night.
Several dolls went about snuffing out the candles and extinguishing the fireplace. Anything that was out of place was quickly straightened.
Satisfied, Alice drifted into her bedroom.
In a strict sense, she did not need to sleep. Like food, sleep was not required for survival as a magician youkai. However, also like food, it was a very difficult habit to break.
With the help of several dolls, Alice shuffled out of her day wear. Owing to spring's rising temperature, she'd recently swapped over to the short-sleeved version of her outfit.
Then, she slipped into a soft blue nightgown.
She settled into her bed, making sure to take her prescription. 'Butterfly Dream Pill' was printed on the bottle in big, bold letters.
A grateful sigh escaped her lips.
Eientei and their unique medicines...
…
She couldn't help but feel a little pang of loneliness.
If only I knew how Shanghai was doing…
…
Then, a flash of inspiration struck her.
What if I could connect to Shanghai from a distance?
That thought, and the theory behind it, led her to search through her collection of magical artifacts for a very specific object.
After about five minutes, she was back in her bedroom setting it up on her bedside table.
She almost never used this item. Divination and scrying never really clicked with her, so there was little reason for her to have a specific spot for it in her workshop.
It was a crystal ball, perfectly clear and sitting atop a short, black, stone pedestal.
Alice cringed slightly at what she was doing, knowing precisely how cliche it was for a magic wielder to use a crystal ball.
However, it would work perfectly for what she had in mind.
She performed a quick ritual using a modified spell circle and poured her magic into the ball, thinking of her Shanghai doll.
There was the rush of wind, followed by the crackle of static, before a ringing in her ears drowned it all out.
Slowly, a moving image began to take form within the crystal. It started out blurry but soon increased in quality.
As the ringing in her ears subsided, Alice found that she could hear footsteps and the drone of insects.
It was a success!
Alice huddled around her crystal ball. She could now see and hear the world through Shanghai.
"Let's see how you are doing, Shanghai…"
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Eric looked into the distance with longing. He could see the torch lights and lanterns of the Village in the distance, and he was eager to reach them.
It wasn't that he was frightened or anything. Just...
It had been a long day, and he was beyond tired. He was ready to fall onto his bed and rest.
Why… oh why did I choose to walk this far?
At first, it was so the contents of his basket wouldn't be jostled too much.
Tarts were delicate, after all.
Then, for the return trip, he simply didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to himself.
Most youkai were far more active at night.
Still...
I swear, next time I'm flying… Fairies be damned...
...
Eric glanced to the side at his companion again. His travel buddy wasn't much for small talk, though he'd tried to start a conversation a couple times.
That was okay though. Maybe Alice's dolls weren't capable of speech?
Regardless, he thought they were neat. Lot's of complicated stuff had to work together in order to make something like that possible.
He had to wonder though...
Why did Shanghai's eyes start glowing a couple of minutes ago?
Not that he minded necessarily. They were a really nice shade of blue, like Alice's eyes.
Speaking of Alice…
He had enjoyed meeting her.
She was very pretty. It seemed like all the humanoid youkai he met were. Beautiful eyes, immaculate golden hair, porcelain skin, cute dress… She was almost like a doll herself.
She maintained a tidy house and yard, and her focus on dolls and their use in combat was definitely unique. She seemed a little stiff at first, but relaxed more as they talked. She put a lot of thought into herself, and was passionate about her interests.
If there was one thing he loved to hear, it was people gushing about the stuff they really cared about.
Ultimately, he decided that he liked her, and he hoped they could speak again soon.
I just hope that I didn't weird her out too much with that whole 'connection' thing…
…
I guess having an escort really does help. I haven't been accosted by a single youkai this entire tim-
"Oh my~ What's this? A chance to eliminate my biggest competition?" A light, melodious voice floated down from above.
Eric's eyes whipped upwards and spotted a figure flying about 20 feet ahead of him above the path.
She had a brown dress, pink hair, and really long fingernails. The wings of a night sparrow stretched out from her back.
There was only one youkai he knew that matched that description.
"Oh, hello Mystia! What's up?" he greeted with a wave.
Mystia Lorelei gave a cutesy little giggle. "Oh, you know~ Just tying up some loose ends~"
She began to descend. "What's a tasty human like you doing out here at night?"
"Heading back to the Village. I kinda lost track of time and didn't notice how late it was."
"My my, how unfortunate~" Her voice tended to take on a syrupy quality when she was teasing people, and tonight she was laying it on thick.
Eric watched as Mystia continued to close the distance. "Um, you do know we're not direct competition, right?"
"Any money they spend with you is money they don't spend with me~"
"We're not open at the same time, and we don't even serve the same food."
"Y'know, I've been meaning to try a brand new recipe." Mystia grinned, showing her sharp teeth. "I just need some fresh ingredients."
"O-oh yeah? What's that?" He couldn't help but notice that her nails (claws? talons?) were looking extra dangerous tonight.
Mystia halted her approach and hovered just a few feet away. She pointed at him and answered sweetly. "Grilled human meat~"
On instinct, Eric tensed up.
Shanghai immediately brought her lance up and positioned herself between her charge and the night sparrow. The tip of the long weapon was less than a foot from Mystia's body, poised to strike.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
…
Then, the tension broke.
Mystia burst out laughing, almost doubling over. "Hahahahaha! Wow! You should've seen your face!" She pointed at Eric's face. "You really thought I was gonna attack you! Hahahaha! Oh, man, that was great!"
Eric looked to his side, a little embarrassed at himself. "You were giving off literally every hint that you wanted to eat me. I'd have to be both blind and deaf (to all but the song) not to notice!"
Mystia was still giggling. "Hehehe~ If I really wanted to eat you, I'd make you night blind with my song. Then, I'd swoop in from above. I wouldn't come from the front, you dummy."
She glanced at the doll who was still in a combat stance. "Besides, I wouldn't attack someone with protection. I'm not that bird-brained!"
"And you aren't supposed to kill villagers." Eric noted. It was a well kept secret, one that Keine had let slip to him at some point.
"Lots of people would come after you if you did."
The young night sparrow sobered a little at that and looked just a bit uncomfortable.
Fresh outsiders were fair game, but villagers were strictly forbidden. It was one of the rules of Gensokyo. "Um… yeah. I know that…"
Youkai still ate villagers sometimes, but if any 'Incident Resolvers' got wind of it, they were in for a bad time.
Gods forbid you draw the ire of the Hakurei Miko...
Sensing the abrupt shift in mood, Eric moved to change the subject. "A-anyways, for real this time. What's up?"
Mystia recovered quickly. "Mmm, not much actually."
She focused her gaze on the doll that was still between her and the human. "So, you met the weird doll lady?"
"Yeah, actually!" Then he added dryly, "How could you tell?"
Mystia looked so done in that moment. "Feh, she's mean. She and that black-white witch beat me up in a duel one time."
"Oh?"
"It was two on one! How is that fair anyways!?" Mystia actually pouted. "I mean, I was the one who challenged them, but still."
Eric just shrugged in response.
"Well, whatever. I've gotta get going." She turned away.
"Were you running your stand tonight?"
"No~pe!" she popped the 'p.' "I'm taking the night off. Why? Were you hoping for a meal?" she teased.
"Sounds tempting. If I didn't have to open the store in the morning, that is. That grilled lamprey of yours is pretty good." Eric knew first-hand just how good of a cook Mystia could be when it came to her business.
"Well… too bad! I'm dedicating tonight to my singing~" She started to hum as she ascended above the path once more.
"See you when you stop by the cafe again, then?" Eric called upwards.
"Probably! The crew hasn't been there in a while. Don't get yourself eaten before then! Ciao!"
With a little flit of her wings, Mystia flew out of sight. Eric could hear the beginning of her song in the distance.
He let out a deep sigh, trying to flush the lingering stress out of his body.
Mystia was… a bit much sometimes.
He didn't really think that she would attack him; she was a regular customer who always brought along friends. However, that didn't mean he wasn't at least somewhat afraid.
Fear was the natural response to a youkai, after all.
Shanghai had lowered her lance by that point, and she was now staring at Eric blankly. Her eyes still glowed in the night.
Eric sighed once more and spoke. "Thanks Shanghai. I'm pretty sure she was kidding, but I appreciate you trying to defend me."
He hesitated a moment, and then reached out his hand and patted the doll on the head.
Shanghai didn't react, so he turned back towards the Village and said, "Alright, we're almost there. Let's go!"
...
As he approached the gates, Eric cringed a little internally.
Mystia was a huge gossip, so she'd probably tell everyone who'd listen about how she scared him tonight.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
On the other side of the crystal ball, Alice sighed deeply.
That damned night sparrow.
Alice wasn't even part of the conversation, and yet she still felt exhausted by Mystia's antics. In her opinion, she had far too much energy and not nearly enough common sense.
What was she thinking, threatening them like that? She was lucky that Shanghai didn't riddle her with holes for even approaching.
…At least she only stuck around for a little bit of banter before flying off again.
When the duo reached the Village not long after, Alice felt the tension in her shoulders relax.
She was confident in Shanghai's abilities, but it still came as a relief that the journey hadn't been more… troublesome.
It would have been a great time to tune out and get some sleep. However, she could not help but feel a little curious.
What did this man's home look like? Did he live in the café? Did he have his own little house in the Village? If he practiced magic, did he have any grimoires or magical apparatuses or artifacts?
This curiosity kept Alice glued to the image within the ball.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
As Eric stepped up to his door and reached into his pocket for his key, he made a mental note.
Shanghai's eyes had yet to stop glowing.
Wonder if they're gonna be like that all night? Kinda like a magical night light.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
It was somewhat difficult to make out all the details in the dark, but from the outside, Eric's cafe looked like it occupied a western styled, two story building.
Since he was now unlocking the front door, Alice concluded that he lived on the second floor above the cafe. Such a thing was relatively common in certain parts of the outside world.
Shanghai entered behind Eric and floated in place just inside the doorway. This gave Alice an opportunity to survey the dimly lit interior.
Several windows allowed moonlight to filter in and somewhat illuminate the room. There was a counter, behind which were various cooking appliances and shelves. Chairs were stacked upside down on the several tables that occupied the dining area. Booths and tables lined the walls.
She heard him say "It's much more interesting in the daytime," before he opened a side door and stepped through it. The door led to a small landing that contained a staircase and another door with the word "Supply" on it.
Shanghai continued following Eric up the stairs, which led to a short hallway with two doors.
Alice had not noticed it until now, but there were switches on the walls and what looked like light fixtures on the ceiling. Had the kappa rigged his building with electricity?
Eric opened the door on the left and walked through it. Shanghai floated over to it, but then stopped. Her gaze was fixed on the other, closed door.
He must have noticed this, because Alice heard him say "Curious, huh? That's uh… the bathroom."
Ah. Of course. That was, in fact, a human need and something that youkai, thankfully, did not have to worry about.
Something about their mostly magical existence prevented waste production. Theoretically, their bodies converted all food and water into the same energy that sustained them.
Alice, as a former human herself, knew it was much more convenient this way.
...Not that it wasn't still a mildly taboo topic.
Shanghai had already continued through the open door and into what was definitely a bedroom. It wasn't messy, but it did come across as disheveled.
"Okie doke. Make yourself at home! I've gotta go get comfy."
And with that, Shanghai was left alone. She floated around, surveying different parts of the room, giving Alice an adequate look at everything.
It was a fairly normal bedroom.
There were common things like a bed, a dresser, a tall bookshelf, a desk, a table, and a couple of chairs. A chest sat at the foot of the bed. Various books, papers, knick-knacks, and more covered the flat surfaces in the room.
Another door likely led to a closet. It was closed.
Alice had to resist the urge to straighten everything up.
Wait... could she even control Shanghai from this distance?
She made an attempt to move Shanghai forward, but it didn't manifest. She made a mental note to test the range limit on direct control.
The only things in the room that would hint at something unusual would have been the small collection of grimoires on one of the shelves of the bookshelf.
The Magician's Cookbook.
The Best Defense is a Good Defense.
Elemental Magic for Dullards.
101 Methods to Improve Your Flight.
Balablob's Book of Imaginary Creatures: How to Beat Them Up!
Alice read both the titles and authors aloud to herself.
Is this what he learned magic from? Not a single respectable magician among that whole lot! No wonder he said he was struggling with something as simple as danmaku!
Apparently, Eric had re-entered the room, because Alice then heard him say "Interested in my books? I can pull one out for you, if you like."
Shanghai turned towards him in response, but said nothing.
Eric, who now wore a plain shirt and pajama pants, just shrugged. "I figured I'd offer, just in case."
With that, he turned toward his bed and collapsed dramatically into it.
"You're good to sleep wherever you find comfortable…" He let out a long sigh and took off his glasses.
"Hmmm, do dolls even need to sleep?" he wondered aloud. His glasses now rested on the nightstand.
"Thanks again for escorting me. I really do appreciate it."
He yawned. "I'll have to thank Alice too… She seemed really nice."
Another yawn. "Welp, g'night..."
...
Hmmm, Alice really should be getting to bed, too. She had not anticipated staying awake this late.
It was exciting that her little ritual with the crystal ball worked though!
Seeing the world from Shanghai's perspective was enlightening, and the small window into another person's life it provided was also quite intriguing. Tonight had certainly given her no shortage of things to ponder and test.
She laid back on her bed and whispered aloud. "Goodnight Shanghai… and goodnight Eric."
Then, she ended the connection through the crystal ball.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Shanghai hovered in the middle of Eric's bedroom.
Her eyes were no longer glowing, but they were once again scouring her surroundings.
The state of this room was an affront to her doll sensibilities. Alice would never have left so many things out of place.
There were books to shelve, papers to stack, surfaces to dust, and much more to do.
She might have a proper name, but she was still one of Alice's dolls, and Alice's will would be done.
~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~
(Update 09/15/2023: Wellll, I went ahead and gave this chapter the same treatment that I gave the first. Adjusting paragraph structure, fixing phrasing, and generally making the chapter flow better. I wouldn't call it a full remaster, but I think the chapter is a better read now.)
I, uh, figured it would be better to have a few chapters out before settling down into regular updates. A bit more story to chew on.
So, chapter two! The first look at one of the recurring side characters!
I like Mystia as a character. And in this context, I thought it would be fun to have a little bit of camaraderie among restaurant owners.
I don't think she actually has to eat humans, they just taste good. I'm sure she freaks people out enough at night to sustain herself, so she, uh, doesn't eat as many as she used to. Besides, you can't go eating your own customers, now can you?
There's a little bit of magic shenanigans. Alice commits espionage. Crystal balls, am I right?
Also, what the doll doin'?
Thank you for reading, and have a great day!