Alice woke from a dreamless sleep in an unfamiliar position.
Instead of her plain, yet recognizable, wooden ceiling and comfortable, but otherwise empty, bed, what greeted her was mellow evening light scattered through leaves and a very human warmth at her side.
After years of waking alone, this was a feeling that she hadn't yet gotten used to. Something about the mere presence of another at such a vulnerable time was both comfortable and reassuring.
It was… nice.
She tilted her head, catching a glimpse of Eric's sleeping face. The sight put her immediately at ease.
This time… This time he truly looked at peace. Almost happy, even, with a subtle smile just barely tugging at the corners of his mouth.
She hadn't necessarily meant to fall asleep, but if her reward for doing so was waking up to this, then she would gladly do so again.
Though, when she looked at him, something was different. Out of place, or rather missing altogether.
At some point, he had removed his glasses, and… she couldn't help but notice how much of a difference that one small action had made. Perhaps she was simply reading into it too much, but it was as if his entire look had changed.
With his glasses on, he always exhibited a sort of earnest, yet awkward charm. Not particularly striking, but, in her opinion, nice enough to look at. It was a look that she had grown fond of. Attached to.
Without the glasses, his face almost felt foreign. They had shielded parts of his face and drew attention away from his most basic features. They softened his overall visage.
Now that she had the opportunity, Alice quietly studied the differences. The dark circles under his eyes were more noticeable, as were the thick, but maintained, eyebrows. His nose appeared slightly larger, and his cheekbones seemed to be more prominent than before. His jawline appeared stronger as well, now that he wasn't constantly, almost subconsciously, ducking his head.
Without the glasses, without hiding, his face looked more masculine. It may have just been the angle at which she was viewing it, but perhaps it was something more. It was almost as if…
He's…sort of handsome…isn't he?
Something about that assessment made her stomach do a small flip. A warmth filled her face, made even hotter as she became acutely aware of the arm wrapped around her waist.
Yes, he was Eric, self-conscious, encouraging, and comforting, but he was also a man. She had read and seen more than enough to know what tended to happen when a man and a woman were in a relationship. They did certain things together. Held certain thoughts about the other.
She had chased away those errant thoughts before, but now, for the first time, she could imagine that it was likely the same for him.
For some reason, acknowledging that fact felt… strange. It was a tiny bit disquieting, a fair bit more exciting, and, for the largest element of the mix, confusing. It was… a wholly unfamiliar sensation. She had never felt that way regarding anybody before.
Perhaps, it was not something that she had really ever expected to consider.
…
She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and pressed her head back down onto his chest.
Perhaps he wasn't quite as fluffy as a pillow, but, unlike a pillow, he was alive. He had the capacity to care. His lungs drew breath. His heart…
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…
Ah, his heartbeat. Ultimate proof that he was alive. That he was real. That he was here.
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…
The steady pulse was soothing, its consistency reassuring.
Her dolls had no hearts to beat, no blood to pump, and it was difficult to take comfort in her own heartbeat when it roared in her ears during the times she needed stability the most.
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…
A pleasant breeze washed over her, far more refreshing than even the most potent of cooling wards.
It stirred up memories of her time in Pandemonium, encircled by her mother's warmth. The heartbeat of the god of Makai was a young Alice's lullaby, and though it was a sound she hadn't heard in years, Eric's heartbeat evoked the same sorts of feelings.
Alice sighed. It was as though, after all of this time, she was just now beginning to regain what she had lost, if only a piece.
Days like these… They were the greatest gift that this world could have possibly given her.
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba…Ba-dum…
…What?
Something… Something was different there. A stutter in the tempo. An anomaly in the pattern.
Had she simply misheard it?
Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…Ba-dum…
She laid there, listening for a little while longer, trying to catch it again, but all that she could feel was the same steady thrumming that suggested normalcy.
So what, then, had she heard a few short moments ago?
…
Alice had precious little time to ponder this further, however, as Eric began to stir. His body shifted in place, and the arm he'd wrapped around her squeezed a bit tighter.
Alice once more angled her view upwards, catching the moment his eyes cracked open.
They were bleary and unfocused, looking at and seeing nothing. He yawned, long and leisurely, before letting out a deep breath.
Something about all of this was fascinating to her. Watching Eric's body language when he thought she wasn't looking, Taking note of his mannerisms and how they differed from hers. Studying the subtleties of his human reactions and if they truly were comparable to her own. Reconciling how unfamiliar it all was when her most significant points of comparison were a motherly god, a bombastic witch, and a legion of unfeeling dolls of her own creation.
It was… interesting, to say the least.
His gaze slowly returned to focus as he crossed the boundary of sleep and wakefulness. He first looked left, then right, seeming to scan the horizon. Then, gradually, his eyes slid down to meet her own.
"Hi… Alice…" he mumbled through the haze of still retreating drowsiness. A tired but pure smile worked its way across his face.
It was enough for her own heart to skip a beat.
…
They would linger for a little while longer, but eventually, as with all good things, their picnic, their date, had to come to an end.
Cleaning up their area hadn't taken long at all, especially with Eric insisting that he help pack up. Alice supposed that it would have been more efficient if she had done it all herself, but if that was what he truly desired, then she saw no reason to deny him.
With all utensils stowed away in the basket and the quilt shaken off and folded up by numerous porcelain fingers, the duo were ready to depart, their way lit by the setting sun.
As they descended Shanghai Bluff, Eric's hand quickly found hers. Alice readily accepted the gesture, and a bit of a sly smile curled the edges of her lips.
He really was growing bolder.
The massive trees of the Forest of Magic swiftly came to dominate their surroundings, though with their leaves dry and brittle, there was much more of the sky visible than there otherwise would have been. It was beautiful… in a sort of desolate way, at least.
In stark contrast to that afternoon, Alice felt far more at ease, allowing herself to indulge in the moment as they strolled along. Her heart felt as light as a cloud, her worries a mile away. Though she kept up a perimeter of dolls, it was mostly just a deterrence tactic.
She was simply glad that she could share this with him.
"...Thank you," came a voice from her side.
Alice tilted her head. "Hmm?" Had she missed the beginning of that? Was she getting too absorbed in the moment?
"Thank you, Alice, for coming with me on this… date. I…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "This has been the best day I've had in a long, long time."
Alice's pace slowed, and in turn, so did Eric's. "Why are you thanking me? I should be the one to thank you. You've given me so much today…" Her hand reached up and fiddled with the butterfly brooch on her hairband.. "You invited me out, treated me to a meal, delivered me a thoughtful gift, provided me more comfort than you know, and gave me… gave me a kiss… And now you are thanking me?"
He ducked his head. "Well… yeah. If you didn't say yes, then none of this would have ever happened. There was always a chance that you might have not wanted to. That you only went along with it because you felt like you had to."
Her hand squeezed his, hard. She shook her head, and so too did Shanghai. "You are not dense, so please do not pretend that you are."
"Wha? I-I'm not-!" The hard edge in her words seemed to catch him off guard. "I love you a lot, Alice, so much that it kind of scares me sometimes. It scares me that I might be doing too much. Going too far."
Alice sighed. Just where did his low self-worth come from? "It's… inevitable, I suppose, that our exact depth of feeling may not be in perfect alignment. However, think back to earlier, when we were sitting up there on Shanghai Bluff. Did I ever give you the impression that I cared less than you did?"
He mulled it over for a moment before appearing to come to a conclusion. "No. No, you didn't."
"When we shared a nap together, did I ever appear uninterested in the situation?"
"N-no."
"When I- When I pressed forward, sealing the kiss between us, did I ever give any indication that I wanted something else? Someone else?"
"No."
"Then, that should be proof enough of what I feel for you. Do not second guess it."
"O-oh." Eric's cheeks grew red, amplified by the warm glow of the setting sun.
Alice, in turn, felt a blush spread across her face as well. She had been the one to speak boldly this time. Perhaps she had gotten carried away?
"I'm glad," Eric eventually settled upon. He showed her a tender smile, one that spurred forth more of her words.
"You always assist me when I struggle to understand a new feeling or when uncertainty shakes my confidence. You accept me for who I am, despite my… eccentricities. I simply refuse to allow you to succumb to your own thoughts in return."
Eric breathed out a laugh. "I have always admired how passionate you are about your interests. I just never thought that I might be one of them one day."
Alice returned the sentiment. "And I have always appreciated how comforting of a presence you are and how you strive to support others. To think that I would end up monopolizing your time as much as I do…"
They shared a quick chuckle. It was all just tender words between partners. Between lovers.
Alice would get in the last word, of course.
"Thank you, for giving me my fondest memory of Gensokyo thus far. I look forward to the day that you may outdo yourself."
Things would go quiet after that. No words needed to be said. Walking together, hand in hand, told them everything they needed to know.
Her house was not much farther. Soon, they would put this day to rest, wonderful as it was, before preparing for the next, brimming with just as much potential.
Their future felt brighter than ever before.
…
That final stretch would be delayed, however, for there was something new on the horizon. Something out of place. Abnormal.
"Hmm," Alice hummed to herself. "A column of smoke? How odd."
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
"A column of smoke? How odd," came his girlfriend's voice from his side, a sound that he couldn't ever see himself growing tired of.
Eric pried his gaze away from her, following her line of sight to the horizon in front of them. Indeed, there was a wispy tendril of smoke curling up into the sky, a grey streak against an otherwise spectacular sunset.
It was a sight that gave him pause. Something about that rising, dusky cloud felt particularly strange. "Yeah, it is kind of weird to see right now. What do you think it is?"
"It is impossible to say from here. I'd rather not speculate, but there is a high chance that a flame is involved, rather than danmaku. A campfire perhaps?" Despite the mundane possibility, Alice seemed intrigued as she picked apart the situation.
"That's really risky, isn't it?" Accidents happened so very often, and given the circumstances… "If they're not careful, that fire could end up running wild."
The smoke appeared to be slowly growing thicker. Alice might have been right; it could have just been a campfire or something similar, but his gut was convinced otherwise.
He hadn't seen smoke like that all summer.
"Want to go see what it is?" There was no reason that their date couldn't go on for just a tiny bit longer, right?
"If that would put you at peace, then yes. I cannot deny that I am also curious."
He squeezed her hand apologetically. "Sorry, I just don't think I could sleep well if whoever it is ends up burning down the whole Forest by accident."
"Even if it's not your problem," He could just barely catch Alice speaking under her breath before she shook her head lightly and turned to face him properly.
"What a surprisingly morbid train of thought… Although, if the Forest burned down, I doubt that I could sleep well either." The edges of her lips quirked up. "My bed just so happens to be located in the Forest."
Eric snickered, pushing back on his unease. "I'll be sure to add that one to my 'Alice makes a joke' collection. Precious moments, all of them."
"Oh hush, you."
With that, Alice rose off of the ground, and Eric immediately responded in kind. With a subtle nod, the pair departed in the direction of the smoke with Shanghai and the rest of Alice's dolls trailing behind them.
If it really is fire, then quicker is definitely better.
…
The dark cloud staining the sky only grew more robust as they eschewed the left turn that would have led them to Alice's house. In a bid to arrive quicker, they soon left the forest trail, veering right and weaving through the trees.
Anxious rumblings prickled at the back of his mind, despite his best efforts to suppress them. It was the not knowing that really ate at him. He wasn't quite sure why his thoughts immediately leapt to the worst-case scenario, but he could still recall just how quickly fires on the Outside could spread in dry conditions.
He'd seen it on the news far too much back then..
The air whipped at his ponytail and tugged at his clothes. Despite wearing glasses, he was forced to squint, lest it dry out his eyes.
Something high and sharp cut through the natural forest ambiance. It was a shriek, or a scream, there could be no mistake.
Alice pulled ahead of him; she was strictly faster and held much more experience in flying.
Even so, it was not long until he saw a clearing in the distance where the Forest relented and small grasses grew in place of trees. It would be there where they would find the source, he was certain of it.
Before either one of them could break free from the treeline, he smelled it. The heavy aroma of wood smoke, burnt food, and… something else permeated the air. It was rather sickening.
Alice was totally right. Somebody probably tried to light a campfire and let it get out of control. It's either that or-
At that moment, Eric entered the clearing, just after Alice. What he saw wasn't a simple campfire blaze, though he wished it would have been. Instead, what he saw was a food cart.
Mystia's food cart.
He almost couldn't believe his eyes. The izakaya was ablaze, belching thick, dark gray smoke and lofting embers into the air. A place that he had visited just last week, now yielding itself to devouring flames.
But, where's Mystia?
His question would be answered immediately as the night sparrow darted out from behind the cart, carrying utensils, papers, and whatever else she had managed to wrap her arms around before depositing them into a growing pile on the ground. Then, she went back for more.
An uncomfortable reality presented itself. She wasn't trying to extinguish the flame. She likely had no way to do so. The cart was a total loss; she was merely trying to salvage what she could.
Mystia reached over the front counter, pulling out sake bottles, each grab risking burns, each breath staining her lungs with soot.
After his initial moment of shock, he found that the sight drew him forward, and his feet hit the ground running. All other considerations fell away. "Mystia! Mystia, are you okay!?"
Mystia whipped around, eyes wide and a grimace set upon her face. Anguish, panic, and a tiny bit of hope jockeyed for control over her expression. She considered him only for a moment before turning back and continuing to fill her arms with objects. "Help! Help me, you dummy!"
The heat of the fire was oppressive as he approached, emanating an overwhelming pressure. Sweat began to drip down his face, and he wanted so badly to turn away. He didn't know how Mystia could stand it, let alone reach into it.
Or… maybe she couldn't. When she pulled back to carry more of her belongings to safety, he could see clearly where the blaze had scorched her arms and singed her outfit. She looked as though she was biting back tears, forcing herself through the pain to save what she could.
She was his friend. He had to help. He had to.
But… Indecisiveness and dread stopped him dead in his tracks. What am I supposed to do to help at a time like this? There's no way that anything I do is going to make a difference!
The situation deteriorated right before his eyes. In just the handful of seconds he had been there, it had become increasingly clear that the structure of the izakaya could no longer contain the fire. The conflagration licked at the ground, scorching the dry grasses and striving to consume anything that it could get its greedy hands on in a hungry, rapidly expanding ring of flame.
If this continued, then there was no telling how far it could spread.
'Even if it's not your problem,' Alice's voice rang in his ears. 'Does that make you feel better? Trying to heal something despite it being unnecessary?'
…
No…
He wanted to help, he had to help.
Even if it wasn't his problem, he couldn't live with himself if he didn't at least try.
And, if the fire burned out of control, then Alice's house would be at risk. He wouldn't take that lying down.
Surely, she knew that, too.
His best course of action, he decided, would be to try to quell the inferno. As shaky and self-taught as it was, he did have a bit of experience in elemental magic to work with.
There was no time left to think. Eric gathered his thoughts, focused his mana, and, with adrenaline racing his heart, produced a small spell circle between his jittery hands.
It was just like he'd done in practice; there was no reason that he couldn't do it now. "Water!" he called, willing magic to quench the blaze.
From his own two hands, the water spilled forth, wetting both his palms and the ground in front of him. With a small adjustment in focus, the spring that welled up in his hands transformed into a steady stream. It was as if he had turned a sink faucet or a garden hose on full blast.
With confirmation in hand, he turned his attention to the encroaching flames that scurried across the ground. The cart may have been a total loss, but if he could keep it contained…
He aimed low, sweeping side to side, just like he had been taught to use a fire extinguisher all those years ago.
The flames recoiled as the water made contact. It would work. It had to work.
Though dry grasses were perfect kindling for fire, they burned quickly, only feeding the blaze for a few seconds as it moved along. If he could stop the spread outwards, then it would simply burn itself out.
Eric's small confidence lasted only a few moments, however. Even as he halted the advance of one section of the fire, the flanks pressed forward undaunted. When he directed the flow towards one flank, the other ignited the small part he thought he had spared.
A pit dug itself into his stomach.
He wasn't enough. Of course he wasn't.
What was a single stream against a building inferno?
…
"Blue Sign: Ceaseless April Showers!"
What was a single flame against a hundred torrents of water?
All at once, Alice's swarm of dolls converged on Mystia's izakaya, inundating both the cart and the ground surrounding it with a magically generated cascade.
Eric's brows rose high, and he looked back at his girlfriend in surprise. She stood firm, a wide, blue spell circle etched onto the ground around her. The azure light that the lines and runes radiated clashed with the vivid sunset, painting her with an unreal radiance that he could hardly begin to describe.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line, nothing but complete, unbreakable focus in her eyes. Her fingers twitched and flowed, directing the cloud of miniature firefighters in her employ, dousing what had seemed like such an insatiable, irresistible blaze.
Even though she preferred to conserve her mana.
Even if it wasn't her problem.
Even when she and Mystia weren't exactly on agreeable terms.
Once again, Alice was there to help put things right.
She's so cool…
At that moment, Eric could think nothing less.
…
Within minutes, the violent blaze that had swept through Mystia's food cart was extinguished.
The structure was… a shadow of its former self. What was once a quaint and cozy roadside attraction was now a total mess. A smoldering, partially collapsed, sopping wet mess of charred wood, broken glass, melted plastic, and gray ash. Though, the two simple tables and four wooden stools that sat off to the side had been spared.
A pile of objects sat a small distance away. Papers, utensils, a brown yukata, sake bottles, a small lockbox, and an assortment of various spices. These represented the only things that Mystia had managed to save in the short time that she'd had.
It… couldn't have been called a victory. Too much was lost to describe it as such. Even so, Eric let out a sigh of relief.
At least it was over…
Mystia slowly slumped to her knees, the frantic back and forth of earlier like a far off memory. Her wings drooped, curling forward around her body.
She said nothing. Instead, she simply stared ahead, gazing upon the wreckage of what had once been.
Neither had Alice said anything. The magician kept her gaze away, arms crossed and with Shanghai at her side. Obviously, something about this situation didn't sit right with her, but she refrained from speaking directly to the night sparrow.
He couldn't blame her. What exactly do you say to someone at a time like this? Especially when, up until now, there was a mutual dislike between the two?
The golden sky began to fade. Twilight was coming, rendering the forest in a softer light that almost felt like an apology. A pittance in the aftermath of a disaster.
It was a moment that felt hollow.
Eric reached his hand out, seeking to gently rest it upon Mystia's shoulder. However, before he could make contact, he retracted his arm, thinking better of it. Though he had meant for it to be a gesture of support and comfort, he had no way of knowing how she would react.
He couldn't tell what was going through her mind right now. Nothing good, he imagined. That she hadn't spoken since pleading for help earlier only made him more hesitant.
Still, he spoke slowly and softly. "Mystia… I… I'm sorry."
Mystia's voice came after a small delay, barely a whisper. "...Sorry? No…"
The night sparrow balled her hands into fists, clenching her fingers around the hem of her soot-stained dress. "Only the ones who did this should be sorry."
"The one's who…? This… wasn't an accident?"
Mystia's knuckles turned white, and her wings reared back. She looked at him, meeting his gaze with one of blistering rage. "Of course not! I'm not stupid! It was those humans! They came back and-!"
Eric took a step back, and Alice took a step forward. "Mystia." Alice's voice was curt. Sharp. A warning.
The sheer intensity of Mystia's outburst had startled him. He knew nothing of humans visiting her cart, save for the occasional villager she managed to lure in with her song. But, if humans from the Village were to blame, then…
Mystia shot up into a standing position. Hot, angry tears streaked down her face. "How dare they! I-I'm going to kill them! I'm really going to do it! I'm going to kill those humans!" she wailed at the sky.
Eric took another precautionary step away from her.
He'd expected her to be mad. If it really was other people who'd started the fire, then she had every right to be. But, as much as he wanted to support her in a time like this, he wasn't about to get caught in the crossfire of her blind rage.
"Those villagers are as good as dead!"
"Oi! What's goin' on over here, ze?" came a new voice.
"What's all this talk about killing humans?" asked another.
While he wasn't prepared to put himself in her way, it seemed like there were others who were more than willing to do so.
He didn't even have to look up to know who the first voice belonged to. Those brash, overly casual tones could have only come from a certain roguish witch who left an impression on others that was just as big as her laser.
But look he did, for the second voice was one that he could not recall ever hearing before. It was light and feminine, but with a certain bluntness to it, like it was unconcerned by how it would come across.
Two figures stood out against the twilit sky, hovering near the treetops above the clearing.
Marisa rode astride her broom, straddling it as if it was her noble steed. When she noticed Alice's presence, and subsequently his, she threw them a wink and a cheeky smile.
The other, matching her on her right side, offered no such pleasantries. Her gaze was focused squarely on Mystia. It was immediately obvious that this woman was rather unique. She appeared both mundane and exotic all at once.
Despite the fairly normal color of her brown hair, she was certainly not plain, with eyes that were such a peculiar shade of brown that they appeared to be mixed with red and skin pale enough to make any color stand out.
That, of course, said nothing about her outfit.
It was a rather creative take on a shrine maiden's garb. A sleeveless, collared vest and ruffled, knee length skirt made up the bulk of her attire, while long, flowing sleeves shrouded her arms from her elbows down. Two hair tubes flanked her head, and a massive red and white bow at its back completed the set.
It was not just the bow; everything was awash in either red or white, save for the yellow ascot she wore around her neck and the simple black shoes on her feet.
With its completely detached sleeves and a somewhat exposed midriff, such an outfit was really only suited to someone who didn't care at all what others thought of them.
Then, recognition flickered through Eric's mind. He… knew this woman.
Well, in a way, at least. He'd… never seen her in person, but he'd heard more than enough tales to identify the Hakurei Shrine Maiden on sight.
Reimu Hakurei was here, and, judging from the gohei in her hands and the floating yin-yang orbs at her sides, she meant business.
A stern, almost bored expression was set on her face, as if she didn't particularly want to be there at that moment. Much like Marisa, her small frame and youthful looks belied what was an absurd strength. With all of the Incidents she'd had a hand in solving over the years, her name was practically synonymous with pure danmaku prowess.
Mystia did not seem to appreciate their sudden arrival. "Seriously!? Now you two are here!? Can this day get any worse!?" she said as she stomped her foot like a petulant child.
"Believe me, I don't want to be here either. But, that little smoke plume of yours just so happened to interrupt our plans for dinner." Reimu's voice dropped to a mutter. "I was really looking forward to those pickled vegetables…"
Marisa nudged her. "Quit lettin' your stomach do the thinking, Reimu, or else your head'll turn into a giant rice ball."
For a moment, her focus broke, and she glanced at the witch. "S-shut up."
Marisa merely responded with a laugh.
This lapse in focus lasted only a moment, however, before the shrine maiden pointed her gohei at the remains of Mystia's izakaya. "What happened? I know you're a bird-brain, but I didn't think you were careless enough to set your whole place on fire."
Any chance at defusing the situation seemed to vanish at that sideswipe.
"You-! They-! Of course not! How dumb do you think I am!?"
"Only someone with more feathers than brains would scream about killing humans when I'm around."
"But-! But it's their fault! They're the ones who threw flaming bottles at my cart! Before I even knew what was happening, the fire was too big to put out! That's why I'm gonna-!"
"Then, it's the village authorities' responsibility."
"But-!"
"A youkai attacking humans looks really bad, no matter what the humans did to start it."
"It was my izakaya! How would you feel if it was your shrine that got burned!?"
From the way Reimu grit her teeth, that little comment hit home. Her next words were far more tense than the last.
"It's not your place. The village authorities will have to investigate the arson and punish those responsible. Not you."
"Says you."
"Yes. Says me."
Mystia lowered her head, but her fists still trembled with rage.
"If I beat you up in a duel, then you won't be able to stop me," her voice ground out.
"I don't think you want to do that."
Mystia huffed. "Y'know, I've been waiting for a chance to rematch you. I bet you're not so tough without that scary gap lady behind you."
She rose up into the air, ascending to match the shrine maiden before her.
"I'll thrash you, pummel your little witch friend, and then fly straight to the Human Village so that I can gouge out their eyes with my own two hands!"
Mystia pulled a spell card, one unlike anything he'd ever seen. It glowed a vivid pink as she held it up and cried its name into the sky. "Last Word: Blind Nightbird!"
"Spirit Sign: Fantasy Seal."
Before Mystia's spell card even had a chance to take effect, Reimu cut in, quick and decisive. A forceful swing of her gohei brought large orbs into existence around the shrine maiden. These shimmering masses shone in every color of the rainbow, and, without a moment of hesitation, they shot straight for the night sparrow.
Their aim was true, their speed blinding. Mystia never stood a chance at avoiding them.
All seven balls of light converged at once, meeting Mystia's body and spell circle in a calamitous explosion that rivaled Marisa's Master Spark in sheer power.
Eric could only watch in awe and alarm. Beside him, Alice stiffened.
This was how the Hakurei Shrine Maiden kept order in Gensokyo. This was what awaited youkai who flaunted the rules.
It was over in an instant.
The power gap between him and everyone else had never felt so large.
…
From within the cloud of smoke and dust fell a thoroughly battered Mystia Lorelei. She hit the ground with an undignified thump, sprawled out onto her back, eyes unfocused.
The force of the impact made Eric wince. He knew that she was a youkai and, thus, sturdier than humans, but that didn't change the fact that it sounded like it hurt.
"Don't go around picking fights you can't win. And don't threaten human villagers or else I'll turn you into yakitori myself."
Mystia slowly rose to a sitting position, rubbing her head. She groaned in response to Reimu's warning. It was as if all of the will to fight had been drained from her.
He could feel the phantom pain of danmaku ripple across his body. He knew full well how a heavy barrage could make one feel weak, courtesy of Alice and her often multi-directional assaults. And that had only been for training purposes. In truth, the real thing was even more potent.
It was a wonder that Mystia could even move.
"Why…? What… what am I supposed to do now?" Her words sounded hollow. With the righteous anger quite literally beaten out of her, in the moment, there was nothing left to fill the void.
"Figure it out yourself. It's your problem, not mine. But if I hear anything about you attacking humans, I might just have to exterminate you." There was not an ounce of humor in her voice, only steely resolve and deadly seriousness.
Mystia shrank further. "O-okay…" she managed to say.
Reimu sighed and stretched her arms as she turned away. "Ahh, I hate it when I have to do that."
"Do what?" Marisa chimed in. Until now, she had largely kept out of it, letting Reimu take the lead. "Beat up the victim?"
"Hey!" Reimu batted the wide brim of Marisa's hat. "It's not like I enjoy being mean to people! It's just… effective. They're always more compliant after you beat them up."
"Remind me to tell Kasen that you need another lecture on empathy, ze."
"You wouldn't dare!"
Reimu and Marisa devolved into banter, trading barbs, off-handed comments, and, oddly enough, compliments. It was quite obvious that the two had known each other for a very long time and were incredibly familiar with how to push each other's buttons.
Eric's attention, however, was not centered on them. His eyes, instead, lingered in Mystia's direction.
He wished to reach out to her, to say something, anything.
Maybe he wanted too much. Maybe he was a bleeding heart. Maybe it wasn't his place.
However, none of that could change how he felt. He simply struggled to find the words he wanted to say.
Mystia was silent as she slowly rose to her feet. She weakly attempted to dust off her half-ruined dress before quickly abandoning the endeavor. To say she looked crushed would have been an understatement
He knew that they weren't all that close, probably not as close as he liked to think. He knew that, and yet his heart still ached for her.
One sniff… One long sniff was all the warning she gave before she turned on her heel and began to flee the area.
"Hey… Mystia?" He called out to her gently.
She froze in place. He… hadn't actually expected her to listen, but now that she was, he had to say his piece.
"That… The offer still stands. If you ever need anything, anything at all, all you have to do is ask. You… You know where to find me."
Mystia clenched her fists, to what end, he didn't know. She didn't turn to face him, but when she next spoke, he could hear the fresh tears bubbling to the surface. "Y-Yeah… I know… It's… I-I-It's… Whatever…"
Then, she flew away, head down and without a song to be heard.
…
Damn. If only I'd been faster. Able to do more…
An unpleasant lump sat heavily in his stomach. The raw mix of pity and guilt was beginning to make him feel sick.
She… didn't deserve that…
…
Though he wasn't the one who needed it the most, comfort quickly found him in the form of a small pair of arms around his head and a familiar hand on his shoulder. Of course, she was still here with him.
He didn't even think before wrapping Alice into a tight hug. He didn't care that Marisa and Reimu were still there.
What if it had been Alice's house that had been burned? What if it was her that had been on the receiving end of an utterly one-sided danmaku beatdown? Would he have simply stood by as her grief drove her reckless actions?
No, he decided. He'd do everything in his power to ensure that it never came to that point. He'd protect her with his life.
Unlike what happened with Mystia…
"Eric," Alice whispered. "Do not take it too hard. That is the way Reimu handles problems. Mystia's actions were erratic and threatening, and she couldn't have let her do as she pleased."
Eric cleared his throat. "I… guess. I just can't help but feel bad about the whole situation." He pulled back, releasing the embrace. "What about you? How do you feel?"
Alice furrowed her brows lightly. "I would be lying if I said that this didn't leave an unpleasant taste in my mouth."
"Yeah, I-"
"Hey, you." Reimu's voice rang out loud and clear in the darkening clearing. Evidently, her attention had left Marisa and was now squarely focused on him and Alice. "Who are you, where are you from, and what's a human like you doing out here?"
He couldn't deny that, after her impressive show of force, he found Reimu's gaze rather intimidating. It was like a lion considering a mouse.
Still, he managed a response. Lacing his fingers together with Alice's certainly helped. "H-hello," he replied. "I'm Eric, and I live in the Human Village. I-"
"Why don't you go back home?"
"What?" Being cut off threw him even more off guard.
"Go home, I said. I don't know exactly how you know Alice, but there's nothing good to be had when a villager associates with youkai. Make my job easier and stay where you're safe. I can't be everywhere at once, unlike some people."
For some inexplicable reason, it felt like there was another set of eyes watching his back. He glanced over his shoulder, but saw nothing but charred grass and the treeline.
"He is safe with me," Alice cooly interjected. "I'm sure you know that."
Reimu studied her for a moment before shrugging noncommittally. "Well, I guess he is."
"Remember that guy I mentioned, ze? The one who was all buddy-buddy with Alice?" Marisa finally stuck her nose into the conversation.
"...No? Did you say something like that?" Her tone was far more casual speaking with Marisa or Alice than with him. It was almost jarring.
"'Course I did! You were probably starin' off into space or something." Marisa snickered.
Reimu turned her back to everyone and sighed. "Well, whatever. You oughta come by the shrine again soon, Alice. I managed to get a new kind of tea that you might like. Oh, and Sukuna was wanting to talk to you about making her another outfit."
"I intend to. So long as Suika understands that not every youkai can hold their liquor like she can." Alice replied almost off-handedly.
…
Not long after, farewells were exchanged, and Reimu and Marisa went on their way.
The light tone at the end seemed wholly inappropriate after what had just occurred. It felt entirely disconnected to the gravity of Mystia's cart having been burned.
Eric wasn't sure what to feel about it. However, that didn't matter much. It was time to go home.
He'd kept Alice out all day, far longer than he had imagined. Surely, she was eager to return. He needed to get back soon, too.
It would be business as usual tomorrow, after all.
~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~
Depending on who you asked, the Human Village was a great many things to a great many people.
It was the safest place in Gensokyo.
A terribly boring village where exciting things rarely happened.
A quaint and friendly community.
An excellent place to play pranks on humans.
A prison disguised as a home.
A fine place to raise a family.
A crude hovel teeming with life like an anthill beneath one's boot.
It was the largest concentration of living humans in Gensokyo, and for those lacking innate power or magical ability, it was by far the most peaceful dwelling in the land. It was tantamount to a human nature preserve within what was already a mythical nature preserve.
If one considered belief to be the lifeblood of Gensokyo, then the Human Village was its beating heart. Should that source of existence establishing belief come into peril, it could easily spell realm-wide disaster. As such, many of the most powerful gods and youkai held a vested interest in seeing it thrive.
However one saw it, there was no denying that a healthy and stable Human Village was key to maintaining a healthy and stable Gensokyo.
…
Near the center of this village, surrounded by a large square where people tended to gather, was a dragon statue. Built over a century prior, the stone statue stood several times larger than an average man and was a fine example of the kappa's masterful craftsmanship. From the detail in its scales to the nobility of its form, it truly captured the majesty of a divine being.
It was originally meant as a sign of respect and reverence for the great Dragon God. Often considered the highest god in Gensokyo, the Dragon God was worshiped both for its immense power and its role in the creation of the Great Hakurei Barrier, the creation of Gensokyo itself.
Recently, however, this statue gained a secondary purpose. The kappa, in a bid to make their creation more 'functional', had set about retrofitting their old design. Several new features were added, chief among them being-
"Everyone! Come look! The eyes have changed color!"
"Aw, yeah! Are we finally gonna get some rain?"
Yes, the primary reason for the design change had been to install weather forecasting equipment. Touted as 'not clairvoyance, but the next best thing,' the eyes of the dragon statue were capable of predicting the weather, and they would glow certain colors to indicate its forecast.
White promised largely clear, sunny weather, while gray meant that cloudy or overcast conditions were on their way. Blue called for rain or snow, and the deeper the blue was, the heavier the deluge would be. A piercing yellow predicted an intense thunderstorm. The rare purple supposedly meant that a typhoon was approaching, though it hadn't been seen in years. And red-
"See! I wasn't lying!"
"The eyes! They're red!"
"Red? Oh no!"
"An Incident is coming!"
An eerie red color foretold that an Incident was about to occur.
Incidents were, among other things, a simple fact of life for those living in Gensokyo. In fact, they were to be expected. It was a land of gods and youkai. The mere act of cramming so many fantastical creatures, artifacts, and locations into one small realm could have led to nothing less.
They were beings with seemingly endless power, esoteric abilities, and personalities big enough to match. Sometimes, they wanted to prove a point. Other times, their individual pursuits had unintended consequences. Once in a while, they just got bored.
Whatever the reason for their existence, Incidents were large-scale events that affected Gensokyo as a whole, or at least very large swaths of it. From blocking out the sun and perpetuating winter to unseasonable flower growth and strange lights in the sky, Incidents came in varying forms and levels of severity.
With such things happening on a regular basis, it was a well known fact that a certain group of people tended to step in and restore the balance when it was threatened. These 'Incident Resolvers' were powerful danmaku duelists that included the likes of Reimu Hakurei, Marisa Kirisame, and Sanae Kochiya.
From one perspective, they were heroes and guardians. Those that would set things right. Protectors of balance.
From another, they were people who would simply get in the way. Powerful meddlers who could smash apart carefully laid plans. Potential threats.
"An Incident! An Incident!"
"What do you think it's gonna be this time, eh?"
"A crazy windstorm!"
"Hell if I know. Maybe we'll all start growing mushrooms or somethin.'"
…
And that led him straight to his current issue.
The dragon statue knew. The dragon statue knew, and it was putting everyone on high alert. That… That was a serious problem.
The element of surprise was key in bringing about a swift victory. If he could catch the village council unaware and secure control over the Human Village, then he would have a strong position to negotiate with.
And, contrary to popular belief, he did want to negotiate. Eradicating youkai and all of their collaborators was a fashionable, marketable goal, but his main focus was power. With the Human Village itself as a bargaining chip, he could establish his rule there in the face of even the most powerful youkai.
Surely, they wouldn't dare to endanger their precious source of sustenance. Of that, he was convinced.
But, the buzz around that damned dragon statue was sure to spread, and spread quickly.
An Incident was no small matter. The village guard was sure to tighten their security. People would be wary. Even the Incident Resolvers may catch wind of it and remain on high alert. Prepared to act on a moment's notice.
If he was going to do this, he needed to do it fast, before everyone could prepare accordingly.
The man sighed, and he turned to the small entourage that followed behind him.
His timeline needed to be pushed up significantly.
Though the change in plan irritated him, he could not deny the anticipation that hummed just beneath his skin.
All of this preparation, all of his work, it was all leading up to this.
Finally, finally he would know the answers to all of his pressing questions.
Just how fragile was the current paradigm under which they lived?
Did he truly have what it takes to assume control, to stand atop the hierarchy of Gensokyo?
Were these countless hours of cultivating a movement worth it?
Would the Hakurei shrine maiden stay her hand, I wonder, if it were humans that started an Incident?
~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~
Hello once again! This chapter took quite a bit of time to write, but it turned out to be a fairly long one.
As I'm sure one could guess, this is likely the last chapter before, well, stuff hits the fan. Mystia's cart is but a prelude to a larger scale act of retribution.
I… feel bad about treating Mystia like this, but I figured that it would be a good set-up into what happens next. She definitely didn't deserve getting blown up by Reimu, though.
Kind of a bummer ending for what was a super fluffy date day.
Speaking of the date, I realized that I've sort of leaned into the idea that the two of them are rather fixated on each other. I'm not about to decide whether or not that's healthy in real life, but I just find it to be incredibly cute and sweet in fiction.
And being fascinated by little things because even if they are a person just like you, they are a different person and those little differences are what make them uniquely them. I live for that sort of tender introspection.
Anyways, I'd like to thank you for your patience. Writing seems to take longer and longer for me these days. It's a common problem, but working full time takes a lot of your time each day. And even on days that you don't work, you're so worn out that you spend most of that time recuperating. Most of this chapter ended up getting written during my lunch breaks or a little bit on my days off.
Having said that, I have no timeline on the next chapter. I don't like that it takes me over a month now to get one done, but that's just how the cookie crumbles.
As always, thank you for reading! Review or comment if you want! Have a good day!