Twilight reigned as night fell across the Forest of Magic.
Within the Margatroid household, all was quiet.
The kitchen was vacant, and so too was the workshop. No work would be getting done tonight.
Neither the rustling of pages, nor the crackling of logs in the fireplace could be heard.
That was not to say that the home was empty. No, it still boasted its one regular occupant, comfortably seated in her living room. However, said occupant was almost still as she sat, gazing into the singular candle that lit the room and cast misshapen shadows on the walls.
Only the rise and fall of breathing shook her frame.
The flame of the candle flickered and danced, proving that, despite its modest form, it still held all of the vim and vigor of one many times its current size. Full of power, and undeniably eager to achieve its maximum potential.
If only she could have felt the same in that moment…
…
Alice Margatroid was tired. In a way, at least.
Physically, she was only somewhat drained. Though still sporting signs of the battle that had taken place that afternoon, her body had already set about mending its injuries, helped along by the healing that Eric had stubbornly provided.
Mentally, too, she felt only minor weariness. The act of multitasking with so many dolls at once during combat did become tiresome as the duel drew on, but it was nothing that she hadn't experienced before, and it certainly wasn't the hardest duel she'd ever taken.
Emotionally, however, she was exhausted. Absolutely and completely depleted, with little to no capacity for much else.
It had been a rough day, all things considered, and dredging up the past had only served to amplify it. Everything in the moment had been far too much, to the point that she'd completely lost her composure and collapsed into tears. Like the draining of a wound, the old pain had bled forth, spilling onto the similarly shaken man at her side.
Perhaps it was lucky that they had found each other. They could empathize. They had both lost. They both knew. And it mattered.
It… was a bit of a disgraceful display on her part, but, as it turned out, she didn't care nearly as much as she would have imagined.
Truthfully, it had felt almost cathartic to share the burden of memory with him. To latch onto Eric and wring her heart of what sorrow she could, taking comfort in his presence and his willingness to care.
And now, while she did feel a little lighter, she also felt just the slightest bit numb.
…
It was a shame that he'd had to leave tonight.
'Work in the morning…' he had said.
…
Ah, well. He couldn't be faulted for maintaining his responsibilities.
And… that was not truly what occupied her thoughts at the moment.
No… All of this business with her grimoire… the focus on aspects of her life often withheld… the culmination of the entire day… It had all led her to feeling incredibly fatigued… and terribly nostalgic. So much so that, as she stared wistfully into the meager fire, her hands were occupied by a particular, familiar object.
It was a blue ribbon, one that a younger Alice had taken to styling her hair with. It was worn, a consequence of its extensive years of service, yet it was still luxurious to the touch. As she slowly brushed her fingers against the fabric, she indulged in its rich texture. She would have described it as velvety, had the material of its construction not been superior to velvet in every way.
The ribbon had been a gift; yet another present given to her by her mother during her time in Makai. Alice had long since acknowledged, with minor disappointment, that the thread used to create it was unknown to her. She had never thought to ask at the time, young as she was, and she had yet to come across a fabric with the same level of quality and durability.
For all she knew, Shinki could very well have created the material herself.
She was a goddess after all.
…
And… that led her to the crux of the problem. The recurring source of her dismay.
Despite all that she now had, all that she had accomplished for herself since coming to Gensokyo, she missed her old life, and her mother most of all.
It was not a foreign feeling, though neither was it constant. For Alice, homesickness came and went like the tides of the oceans on the Outside.
Many days, she was fine, and not a single thought on the matter crossed her mind.
On days like today, when the yearning did come (and when it came, it often surged), it was usually carefully managed. She would immerse herself in a project, pick a series of entertaining fights, or find some other way to distract herself from the longing that tugged at her heart. Once, she had even brewed a draught of a potion known to lull the user into a deep sleep.
All of this, just to avoid having to confront the twisting in her chest as memories of what she'd lost came foaming to the surface.
Was it cowardly? Perhaps. Was it healthy? Likely not. Would she ever admit to it? For the sake of her pride, no.
Alice yawned.
Confronting them directly, as she had done earlier, was not typical.
She could only hope that these memories, and the feelings they brought forth, would grow distant enough that they no longer troubled her.
And when that day finally happened? She would feel unburdened once more. Surely.
A good night's sleep was merely the first step.
…
*Thud*
Speaking of nostalgia…
"Yo, Alice! I'm coming in, ze!" came the warning call of a black and white witch with far more energy than discretion.
…She would rather not have her door slammed in tonight.
Quick as a whip, Alice snapped her hand out, sending a Naples doll speeding towards her front door. The doll, with inhuman reflexes, unlatched the door and yanked it open.
As the doorway cleared, a foot shot forward, catching nothing but air and destabilizing the person it was attached to.
A look of mild surprise filled her face as she unevenly stumbled forward, her balance thrown off by the lack of a solid surface at the end of her kick. Such teetering did not last long, however, as the witch swiftly righted herself.
She cleared her throat before straightening her posture slightly. "Gah… Didn't expect you to be so fast."
"Hello to you, too, Marisa." Alice greeted impassively.
Marisa blinked a couple of times before briefly sweeping her gaze across the dark room. "Wow! Why so gloomy? I ain't got youkai eyes like you, so lemme get some light in here."
She raised her free hand and snapped her fingers, bringing a small, but intense, ball of light into existence at her side. She pointed at a spot on the ceiling near the center of the room, and the light drifted over.
It never did take long for Marisa to impose herself.
Alice, taken off guard by the sudden, harsh glow, squinted incredulously at her friend. "I think it's rather telling that your first instinct is to blind me."
"Oh, relax. I ain't here to steal nothin'." she replied as she stepped her way inside, shoes casually thumping against the floorboards.
Alice sighed as her eyes began to adjust to the newly brightened room. "A kleptomaniac and a compulsive liar? Shall I count the holes you've left in my grimoire collection?"
Marisa put a hand on her hip. "That ain't why I'm here, ze. Besides, I already told ya that I'm borrowing, not stealing. You can have it all back when I'm dead~"
"Marisa, you-" Alice cut herself off. She'd nearly found herself falling down the same hole of a conversation that they'd had many times before. She… simply didn't have it in her tonight.
"...Forget it. I won't involve myself with that sort of back and forth." She shook her head briefly. "Why did you come?"
If Marisa noticed Alice's lack of enthusiasm, she didn't call attention to it. Instead, she responded with, "Been a while since I've seen ya, Alice! Not since the last time I paid Patchy a visit, at least."
"...You hardly ever visit at night." the dollmaker countered plainly.
The blonde witch tilted her head. "Well, I 'spose there's more to it than that, ze. Got a little info that you might wanna hear."
…Information? And… important enough for Marisa to have visited at night…
Something flickered within her mind.
While Alice wasn't nearly in the mood to be entertaining guests, she couldn't deny that whatever her friend had to say had the potential to be quite… interesting.
She was curious now. And what magician didn't indulge their curiosity?
"...Fine," she sighed, before shooting a look up at Marisa's magelight. "But I will be providing more agreeable lighting."
Marisa dramatically rolled her eyes. "So old fashioned…"
…
With the magelight doused and her usual suite of lamps and candles lit in its place, Alice's living room once again resembled the word 'cozy.'
The two magicians, youkai and human, sat opposite to each other with a small, round table between them. The table was empty, but would not be so for long.
"Tea?" Alice offered. If they were going to talk, then it would be better to do so over a drink.
"Actually, I've got a better idea." With no further explanation, Marisa reached a hand underneath her hat. She made a motion as if she was rummaging around in there before declaring, "Aha! There it is, ze!"
From within her hat, she withdrew a red, metal cylinder. As it moved, a quiet, sloshing sound could be heard. Grinning with satisfaction, Marisa proudly presented the object.
"...And that is…what?"
"Wine!" She set the container on the table before reaching back into her hat. "The batch from this spring's berries is finally ready to drink!"
Ah, of course. Marisa did love her liquor, didn't she? 'If I make it myself, then I don't have to borrow it as much,' she had said to her once.
Alice… didn't consider herself to be much of a drinker. Sure, on rare occasions she would indulge in a bit of sake or wine after a particularly taxing day, but it was always a limited amount and by no means a regular occurrence.
It wasn't as though she was opposed to the idea of inebriation as a whole. She simply wasn't fond of losing her sense of self when drunk.
She had before, a few times, but that had been during Incident Resolution parties when everyone had been doing it.
As it turned out, peer pressure truly was effective…
Marisa produced two glasses and clinked them together playfully.
Alice much preferred to remain level-headed and keep her wits about her. To leave her mental faculties uncompromised.
A glass was placed in front of her. Across the table, Marisa held her own.
…
Well, one drink wouldn't hurt anything. It had been a long day…
"So, the wine is in that… bottle?"
She tapped the metal container in response. "Yep! This baby's insulated, so it should still be nice and cool, ze~"
"You're certain it's not poisoned?" Alice made sure to ask. With the sheer number of poisonous berry species that called the Forest of Magic home, Marisa's reckless nature did not lend much confidence.
"Yeah, more or less," came the not so reassuring answer.
"...More or less?"
Marisa shrugged. "I figure it'd kill me long before it killed you. Besides, I've already gotten drunk on it once, and I'm still kickin'."
Alice stared at Marisa for another moment before closing her eyes and sighing. "Alright. I would appreciate a glass of wine."
"That's the spirit!"
Silently, the puppeteer called out for one of her dolls.
She opened her eyes to see Shanghai drifting up to the two of them, floating just a bit higher than the table. With a subtle nod, she directed her to pour the drinks.
The little doll hefted the bottle, tipped the container, and out came the wine, a color of red that was several shades lighter than Alice expected.
With a small curtsey, the doll drifted off again, taking up a spot on the couch and leaving the two magicians to their business.
Alice brought the glass to her nose and took a small sniff. The aroma was sweet, as was to be expected out of a fruit wine.
She nearly brought the glass to her lips before posing a final question.
"No mushrooms?"
"No- what? How would I even-? Quit being such a baby and drink already! It's good wine that I'm sharing with you!"
With that, Alice finally took a sip, and, for a moment, stopped to savor it.
It was sweet, she could certainly taste the berries, and… She swallowed. …There was the subtle burn of an alcohol that was not quite strong enough.
She went back for another drink.
This wasn't the best wine she'd ever had, but…. It was good wine, if a little weak.
A ghost of a smile crossed her face.
Across the table, her friend was taking comparatively larger swigs out of her own glass, enjoying what she had created.
Together they sat, in pleasant, companionable silence. A rare feat, given Marisa's involvement. She had almost forgotten that her friend was capable of such things.
…
By the time Alice had drained most of her glass, her mood had lifted slightly, and the lingering tension in her body had mellowed. Her thoughts, be they troubling or mundane, felt just the slightest bit farther away. It wasn't much, but it was something.
"This," she made a small gesture with her glass, "is nice. You did a good job with it." She sipped the last of her remaining wine. "...Thank you for sharing."
Marisa smirked. "You're damn right it's good. I even roped Kourin into letting me use his stuff to make it, ze."
"I always knew you had a bit of oni in you." Alice responded placidly.
The witch snickered at that. "Speakin' of oni, do ya think I could get Suika to show me how to make the sake she's always got in that gourd of hers?"
Alice hummed noncommittally.
…
The conversation trailed off there.
…
Then, the expression on Marisa's face shifted. It grew uncertain. Skeptical. It was as if she had been presented with something veiled and strange. "Alright, I've gotta ask. What's up with you, Alice?"
"What… are you referring to, exactly?"
"Well, you just seem… off, y'know? Like, I half-expected you to say something like 'In a couple decades you might even make something passable,' but you didn't. Where's your cattiness? Your bite? You don't seem tired of my existence. You just seem… tired in general."
Marisa leaned forward, examining Alice with a critical eye. "That ain't like you, Alice."
…Gods, was that how she sounded to Marisa?
Sure, the witch's typical antics easily got on Alice's nerves and she was always quick to make her displeasure known, but she wasn't that… bitter about it. Right?
"I've… had a long day, I suppose, so excuse me for not addressing you with the appropriate level of spite." Alice answered, tacking on the last part almost on instinct.
"Long day, huh?" Marisa completely brushed past the latter part of the answer. Her gaze lingered below Alice's chin.. "That got anything to do with the bruises on your neck?"
Ah…The bruises had yet to fade. Of course, Marisa had noticed them. But…
"It's… not your business, really. It's a private matter, and I've already resolved the issue."
"So, there was an issue then? Tell me, Alice. Who do I need to Master Spark?"
She sighed, mildly regretting her slip of the tongue. "Not… an issue. It was a duel. A duel that I won, as a matter of fact."
Marisa narrowed her eyes. "A duel, ze? Those don't look like bruises from danmaku to me. They look like fingers. You don't hafta lie to me like that."
"Lie to you? I do not lie. It happened in a duel, and I won. I don't need your help because it's already over."
"Damn it, Alice!" Marisa slapped the table, causing the glasses to rattle in place. "I'm worried about you, don't you get that? Stuff like that on your neck ain't supposed to happen!"
Why was she so persistent about this? Alice… didn't want to have to rely on Marisa. Not anymore. She had made that perfectly clear years ago.
And yet…
"I know ya hate it when I get pushy, but… I just worry about ya, y'know? Living all by your lonesome out here."
She still fretted over her.
"With the way you fight… With the way you are… If someone gets too close, they can really hurt you."
She still went out of her way to help her...
"Look, I get that I annoy you a lot, and most of the time that's on purpose. But… I do want you to be happy, Alice. I do care about you."
Was it that she still felt guilty about what had happened back then? Or was it that-
"We might butt heads all the time, but like it or not, you're still one of my best friends."
Friends… Best friends…
"I don't suppose I get a say in the matter?"
"No. But, would you put it any differently if you did?"
…
Marisa Kirisame wasn't anybody's definition of a good person.
She was boorish, irresponsible, reckless, impulsive, indiscrete, and a rampant kleptomaniac.
And yet…
While Marisa couldn't quite be considered a good person, she was a good friend. She had supported Alice in the past, and, even now, tried to help in her own little ways.
Despite everything, Marisa still cared. She wanted to care.
Who was Alice to reject that?
…
"No. No I wouldn't."
Alice's feelings towards Marisa were rather complex, but if anybody could be considered her best friend, it was her.
What was the harm in letting Marisa in? She had already been steadily opening up to Eric. Perhaps it would be easier now?
…
And so, she began to speak about what had occurred that afternoon. About Seiga's underhanded tactics. About Yoshika's extreme resilience and iron grip. About Eric's timely assistance in defeating the duo. Everything.
Everything, that was, except for what had come afterwards. Such a thing still felt too private to discuss.
That, and the idea of Marisa meddling in her love life filled her with a special kind of dread.
"Damn," came Marisa's solemn declaration at the end of Alice's tale. "Those two always did give me the creeps. I'm glad that you were able to kick their asses. They deserved it for pulling that kinda crap, ze."
"Yes, well, now you see why I don't need your concern on the matter. I have already exacted my retribution and tended to my injuries." Alice sighed, and felt lighter because of it. Perhaps being more open really was better for her.
Her friend nodded. "Yeah, and I get why you probably didn't wanna tell me about it. It wasn't really a clean victory that you could brag about. Hell, I don't like talking about my near losses, either."
That phrase. Near loss… That's… what it was, wasn't it? If he hadn't shown up, then…
"There were several mistakes that I will not be making again. It was only pure luck that Eric happened to come by when he did."
Yes, pure luck… Something that she couldn't rely upon. Shouldn't rely upon.
Alice sank back against her chair.
She was still rusty; nowhere near her peak form. It was glaringly obvious now that these years of relative solitude have dulled her instincts in combat. Perhaps while she had been mentoring Eric, she should have been training herself, too.
Oblivious to her internal critiques, Marisa appeared to key in on one very particular detail.
"So, Eric really was able to help ya, ze? Y'know, I was kind of curious about what happened to that guy. I guess he really did take you up on your offer to teach him, huh?"
The question came as a small shock to Alice. She didn't recall ever mentioning the situation to anyone else. "You… were aware of that?"
Marisa puffed up with a confident smirk. "'Course I was! I gave him the kick in the pants he needed to get over himself and actually do somethin' about it."
…What?
"You shoulda seen how pumped up he was when he left that cafe! I didn't know someone could look so determined while hobbling around on a cane!"
Wait… Wait, there were multiple things that she had just said that Alice needed confirmation on.
They'd spoken the day that she and Marisa had dueled, but she hadn't been aware of any subsequent interactions between the two.
"You've become acquainted with him, then?"
"I consider him a friend, too. Why? S'that so hard to believe?" Her response came without a moment of hesitation.
"No. I am merely surprised that you've made another friend in the Village." She knew quite well the witch's general sentiment towards her former home.
"Yeah, well, he's a bit more open minded than the average villager. You of all people should know that. Besides, it's good to have lots of friends. It means I've got lots of people I can bum snacks off of, ze."
Alice sighed yet again. "...Somehow, that sort of reasoning doesn't surprise me."
But… that did lead her to another point. "The day that Eric accepted my offer… You gave him some sort of encouragement?"
Marisa crossed her arms but maintained her good natured grin. "Ah, see, I went by that cafe of his, and I just couldn't stand seeing him mope around. It took some time and a bit of 'real talk', but I really think that I managed to light a fire in him. He sounded as motivated as a vengeful spirit in hell when he left for your house."
But, it hadn't been Alice's offer of tutelage that they had discussed that day. He had accepted that weeks later, after his leg had recovered.
What Eric had said was-
'Do you accept my feelings, Alice?'
The memory was so clear in her mind, and her stomach still leapt at the thought of it. A light flush filled her cheeks, helped along slightly by the wine in her system.
That had been the 'official' start of their relationship, as Eric had described it. But, that also meant that…
Marisa was the reason that Eric had come to her house that day.
Marisa was why Eric had worked up the courage to confess to her.
Marisa was the one that had kick-started her love life.
…
Alice found herself at a loss for words. The very idea that Marisa Kirisame had been involved with something as intimate as that was… strangely embarrassing. She quickly attempted to school her expression, lest the witch across from her notice her disproportionate reaction.
The effort was futile, however, as Marisa whistled lightly. "That was a heck of a reaction there, Alice. Almost makes me wonder if something more coulda happened that day."
…Damn. Where was her mask of practiced neutrality when she needed it most?
"W-well…"
Marisa leaned her way over the table, invading Alice's personal space and bringing her teasing smile ever closer. "C'mon~ I can keep a secret. Did he say somethin' sweet and corny to ya? Did he sweep ya off your feet? Did he confess his undying love to ya, ze?" With every question, the dramatics in her voice grew.
…She couldn't believe that she was discussing this with Marisa of all people.
But… what was Alice to say? Should she just come out and admit to it? She supposed that Marisa would have found out at some point; if not from Alice, then from Eric himself.
She had a boyfriend. As uncomfortable as it was for her to get needled by Marisa about it, it was the truth. Why not own up to it? Have some pride in it?
Alice glanced to the side, averting her eyes from her friend's mischievous gaze. With a huff that was more like a sigh, she spoke. "About that…"
With a satisfied guffaw, Marisa flopped back into her chair. "Oh, don't worry. I'm just screwin' with ya! You always get so huffy when I tease ya."
"You are correct. He did."
"'Course I'm righ-" Before she could finish her confident assertion, all of her energy came to a halt. "Wait, what?"
"Eric confessed his feelings for me that day. And… I reciprocated." Her voice was clear. There was no mistaking her words.
Still, the witch before her sat speechlessly. The grinding of the machinery of her mind could nearly be heard as she seemingly struggled to process the information being presented to her.
Alice moved to clarify, the edges of her lips curling up into a small smile.. "We've been together, in a relationship, since that day. It's been… nearly two months now."
It was the simplest, most straightforward way that it could be said.
And… that seemed to do the trick.
Marisa's eyes went wide, and her jaw would have hit the floor, had it not still been attached. She remained like that, for a moment, before breaking into exclamations.
"WHAT!? I don't visit for over a month, and you go get yourself a boyfriend!?" The witch's shock quickly transitioned into a huge, bubbly grin. "Why the hell didn't ya tell me, Alice!?"
"I suspected that you would have teased me endlessly about it. It was a fate that I would have rather avoided."
"Alright, alright, that's fair, but this is a HUGE deal, Alice! I just… I never thought I'd see the day! I'm so happy for you!"
Was it Alice's imagination, or was Marisa's voice choking up slightly? Could it have been the wine? They had drunk together before, but… Was Marisa really that much of a lightweight?
"I knew it would happen one of these days, ze. I knew that you two would… You deserve this, Alice. You deserve to be happy." The vulnerability lingered in her voice.
Alice's little smile grew, though she was slightly concerned about her friend. "T-thank you, Marisa. But… Are you alright?"
The witch rubbed her eyes with the back of her arm before erupting into a blinding smile. "I'm fine, really! I just… love seeing my friends happy. For a long time, I was worried that you weren't, and I didn't know what to do about."
There was a little squeeze at her heart as her friend's words reached her ears. While Alice was glad that Marisa seemed overjoyed at the news, it came with a tiny bit of guilt. She… didn't realize that she'd been so troubled about her wellbeing.
Before she could say anything, however, Marisa exhaled loudly and stretched her arms above her head. "Haaaaah~ Welp, that's enough gettin' sappy from me." Her elbows fell back onto the table, and she leaned forward once again. With the same brashness that she typically carried, she pushed on with her next question, all of her previous vulnerability gone in a flash.
"I need details, ze."
Alice simply stared, feeling no shortage of wonder at just how quickly the one across from her could shift her emotions. Then, shaking away her own whiplash at Marisa's about-face, she reacted accordingly. "E-excuse me?"
"You know what I'm talkin' about. What's it like? What do y'all do together? What have y'all… done together?" Marisa wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at the end of the last question.
It had certainly not taken her friend long to start prying. Just what was she imagining that they'd been doing together?
Alice sighed and crossed her arms, ignoring the dusting of pink on her cheeks as a certain, rushed kiss found its way into her mind.
…
Marisa must not know. Not yet. "Why do you need to know?"
"I'm curious, Alice! I've never seen ya show interest in somebody like that before. I was sure ya would have, eventually, 'cause most people do. But, honestly, some random village guy was not my first guess."
There was a spark of heat in her chest as Alice took exception to that assessment. "He's not just a random villager."
"Oh yeah? Well, tell me then, Alice. You're the expert. What makes him different? Why did ya even like him in the first place?"
…Why?
Why…
…
In a way, she had always been meant to. There was the Red String of Fate, connecting the two of them, tugging them together and marking them as soulmates.
But… even more so than all of that fate business…
It was the way that he made her feel.
Acceptance… Warmth… Safety… Stability… Care… Love…
"When I'm with him… I… I feel like I'm home." She glanced downwards as she wrung her hands. "I cannot describe it any other way. I… have come to treasure that feeling, I suppose."
When Marisa didn't answer immediately, she continued. "Was that a strange thing to say?"
"No! No, no, I totally get it. It's… like when I'm with Reimu. She makes me feel like I belong. I sure as hell wouldn't trade that feeling for anything else in the world."
…
Gods, it had been a while since she and Marisa had managed to have a proper conversation, largely free of their usual arguments and posturing.
She had missed this. She had missed her friend.
Marisa always seemed to be able to rouse her spirit and pull her out of her doldrums..
It was… nice.
…
"Speakin' of Reimu…" Marisa began after the conversation had trailed off. "She's been askin' about ya, ze. She says you ain't been visiting the shrine much lately.
Oh, Reimu…
Reimu Hakurei was the shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine. She, too, was a friend, though not considered quite as close as Marisa or Patchouli.
"I… do intend to visit again soon. I've simply found myself rather busy lately."
Marisa snorted. "Yeah, busy with your boyfriend."
Shanghai floated her way over and delivered a light punch to Marisa's arm. "Oh hush, you," Alice chided.
"Fine, fine, ze." Marisa slowly scratched her cheek before glancing away. "Look… I know she doesn't show it very well, but I think she misses you. She always gets kinda antsy when her usual guests don't show up for a while. Just, ah, don't make her wait too long, okay?"
Ah, there it was, the awkwardness that Marisa only showed when trying to do something for Reimu's benefit. She'd known her long enough to recognize it at a glance.
"I will make a point to do so. Don't worry."
"Thanks." Marisa's posture softened as she sighed. "You might even wanna bring up that issue with her again. Maybe see if she'd be up to releasing the seal on Makai?"
…Was that a serious suggestion?
"Marisa, do you really believe that such a request could end in anything but failure? Or retaliation?"
Reimu was pleasant enough as a person, but when it came to job related matters she was… rather prickly.
Alice always supposed that it was her role as the Shrine Maiden of Paradise that made her this way. The Hakurei Shrine served as the lynchpin of the Great Hakurei Barrier that enshrouded Gensokyo, and because of that, the Hakurei Shrine maiden was considered one of, if not the highest authorities in the realm.
Enforcing rules, exterminating errant youkai, and protecting the balance of Gensokyo as a whole. With the weight of that responsibility resting firmly on her shoulders, it was no wonder that problems often put her in a sour mood.
While the residents of Gensokyo were largely free to live as they saw fit, there were rules to follow. A youkai may not kill a villager, for example. Or, a villager may not intentionally turn themselves into a youkai.
Breaking any one of these rules was tantamount to committing a cardinal sin, and, if caught, the perpetrator would be punished accordingly.
…Extermination…
One had to have a certain austerity to them in order to dole out such punishment personally. The ability to detach themselves from all other considerations.
Alice.. very much wanted to avoid that sort of intent being leveled at her.
"Yeahhhh, maybe not." Marisa conceded.
"Do you remember how deep of a scowl she had worn after the first time I raised that question? Imagine her response if I pestered her about it."
"Hmmm," Marisa hummed. "She always had a bit of that 'I can kill you if I have to' energy, didn't she? It was the same even back when we were kids."
The image of a small but outraged Reimu came into her mind, purple hair and all.
A quick puff of air escaped from Alice, a small sign of sudden mirth. "I suppose you would know better than I, considering how close you two are. You've certainly known her for longer."
The puppeteer took another moment of consideration before admitting, "Though, it would be difficult for anybody to miss her impressive glower."
The witch cracked a wide smile. "Damn right, ze! She's got that glare down!"
…
The two continued to speak, chatting about nothing of consequence before Alice realized that she felt as if she was forgetting something.
…Ah, of course.
"So, what was it that you'd meant to share with me?" Alice ventured. They'd been so caught up in conversation that Marisa's original reason for coming had nearly been forgotten about.
The realization appeared to jolt through her friend's body. "Oh, shit! That's right, ze! Have you seen any weirdos hangin' around here lately?"
Alice couldn't resist the opportunity. She gave Marisa a pointed stare.
A lopsided grin flashed across her face. "I meant weirdos besides us! And your boyfriend, of course."
"Marisa…" She should have expected it. Marisa wasn't going to waste a single chance to tease her about her relationship.
But… others in the Forest of Magic? 'Weirdos,' as she called them?
"Seiga and Yoshika were quite weird."
"Not them, either!"
,,,In all honesty, she hadn't. Besides her two unwelcome guests, it was the same few youkai and fairies that typically frequented the area. Nothing that could have been considered unusual.
"I can't say that I have. What sort of 'weirdos' do you mean?" Marisa had Alice's full attention.
"I ain't exactly had the time to interview them, but they looked an awful lot like people from the Village. There's usually, like, six or eight of them at a time, and they've always got these dinky weapons with 'em."
Weapons?
"Guards, perhaps? It wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe that their patrols have expanded beyond the Village."
Marisa immediately rejected the notion. "There ain't no way that the guards are coming this far out, ze. Besides, they're nowhere near well equipped enough to be guards. No uniforms, no armor, and have you ever seen a guard with a pitchfork or a shovel? No way, man."
That struck Alice as particularly odd.
Eric notwithstanding, why would villagers come to the Forest? It was one of the least frequented areas in close proximity to the Village. There was nothing for humans to find but the creatures they feared and a litany of plants that could easily spell death to the careless.
"How peculiar. Was there… anything else strange that you'd noticed?"
"Well, I don't know what they're doin' exactly, but it almost looks like they're scoping the place out or somethin'. I don't like it, ze."
"You act as though you couldn't simply blow them away with a single Master Spark."
"Well, of course I could! I'm more worried about you. Your house is way easier to find than mine."
Alice hummed contemplatively.
"Don't worry about me. Your warning was more than enough. If they do come, then they shall not find me easily surprised."
…
…
…
Groups of armed villagers, coming and going, scouting the Forest of Magic. There could have been any number of innocuous reasons for this Curiosity was a trait that both humans and magicians shared, after all.
However…
Something didn't feel right about all of this. Humans also tended to be reckless actors and poor decision makers who often put far too much faith into their own plans. Doubly so when they felt threatened.
Something was brewing. The thought nagged at the corner of Alice's mind as she scanned the walls of the room.
…
Perhaps it really was time to refresh the wards on her home.
~~~~~~Author's Notes~~~~~~
Howdy! Long time no see! It feels that way to me, at least. A month or so can be a lot of time.
I do feel kinda lousy about how long this chapter took to come out. Real life responsibilities (and eye strain!) have sapped most of my time, so work on this fic has had to come whenever I can manage.
I've also been dealing with a little bit of… difficulty writing? I wouldn't go so far as to call it writer's block, but I have been having some trouble trying to figure out how I want to put things into words lately. Like, I know what I want to say, but how do I say it?
Having said that, this might be the new norm when it comes to chapter updates. There is no guaranteed schedule at the moment. It's definitely a case of 'the next chapter will be done when it's done.'
I am not stopping work on this story. I won't stop until it's truly finished. I just can't say for certain how long each new chapter will take.
On the story side of things, I had to split my initial plans for this chapter in half. I had wanted to cover two main scenes, but I figured that this scene was long enough to be its own chapter. Also, since I hadn't updated in a while, I wanted to get something out already.
This is a bit of a transition chapter. I've been wanting to have a proper conversation between Alice and Marisa for a little while now, and I figured that the aftermath of Alice's long day would be a good time for it. We haven't seen the blonde gremlin for several chapters, anyways.
The next couple might be a bit of transition chapters, too. They won't take over a month to come out this time, though. That, I promise.
After that, the next arc should start cooking off :)
Anyways, thank you for reading, and thank you for all of your support! Comment or review if you want! Have a nice day!