"I've been meaning to ask Sakuya. Is there a place to shower?"
"Fairies or alone?"...Christ.
"Alone preferably." Sakuya takes the lead as the moonlight pass through the windows. It's certainly a juxtaposition to the fluorescent lights around us.
"Anything else?"
"How does my girlfriend's nuclear fusion reactor power all this stuff out here?" Sakuya laughs lightly as her shoulders rising and falling to her jubilation.
"I suppose that's one way of putting it. Yes, all electricity in Gensokyo comes from the patented kappa nuclear plant owned by none other then your girlfriend Satori. It has enough power to level Gensyokyo and just about 200 kilometers from here in a firery blaze. Luckily, it's well managed." I knew this stuff already and a simple yes would suffice.
"I suppose I should've asked. How did you guys get power with this place being... not that complex?" The grandness of everything is belayed by the simplicity around the mansion. I mean the village and everything is just dirt paths and somewhere east of here is a giant hole that takes us to old hell.
"You should thank the kappas for all of this. After Kanako's little upheaval of everything, we had a direct meeting with the first Sage of Gensokyo. She force her hand to get us to signed a agreement to have no say in who gets power to their homes as long as we don't share it's whereabouts to the village. Nowadays almost every spot is collected by underground power lines hook to generators. Some disagree...specifically the garden." Yeah, that checks out.
"Mom must of not like artificial means to an end. Yet, she still has a gas stove and small refrigerator. There's power in Eintei, but I just chalk that up lunarian science." Sakuya look at me oddly. Something I said?
"Lunarians? You mean the moon people and rabbits?"...Ah right, that wouldn't have an english equivalent cause everyone here speaks Japanese.
"Yeah, on my side of the world they're called Lunarians. It's cool to think that this place was around the during the cold war." Again, with the stare as we continue on our pace.
"I see. What is the difference between war and a cold war?"...Should I?
"It's too complicated and would take way too long to explain." She hums in thought.
"An historian like the village teacher?" A fascination with history? Yes, and no. It's a proud tool to have to fall back on. History must never repeat itself lest we forget who we are. I sigh harshly at the thought.
"I'm a scholar at heart. Everything I wanted to learn was at my disposal at a young age. Now that I know that I can read any text maybe I can look for a Edo period guide book in Japanese and learn to talk like a regular person from here." I couldn't hold back the snicker of what that'll sound like, would I sound too formal, informal, a mix of both, or a child to some people.
"Perhaps you're best at just learning as you progress through the years?" Everyone is different in that regard. I have bad street smarts, while having good book smarts.
"It depends, how did you get better at talking, using magic, or your comprehension skills? The short answers are time and experience. The long answer is that through trials and tribulations we prove our own form of worth and self worth especially." Sakuya's stops walking and present gesture was becoming a natural thing to see. This time I opened it and gave her the chance to go in first.
"Ladies first you know."She laughs at me.
"Did you forget why you came here?"...I look inside and see the pristine tile bathroom...not fully modern. I make a face cause I forgot.
"Sorry, just being polite is all. Sometimes, I forget where I'm going if I'm distracted." Especially when it's a conversation like this.
"You're a forgetful sort of person?"...Kinda.
"Had it since I was a child. I don't mean anything by it as long as I remember the important things that's what matters." Sakuya nods as I head inside and close the door behind me. The mansion is big and grand. This was no different as I could tell you that wasn't really a tub more like a shallow cut out to hold water in. The very clearly brass knobs nearby were even label with hot and cold.
"How very, Kappa of this place." It's definitely a form of kappa engineering and I'm always impress by it. If you can make infinite water come to you this would definitely be on the list of things you want to do.
"Morning girls, you're in luck today." Reisen eyed her new assistants as she opened the blinds to let light in. The light hitting a certain sleeping Celestial who begins struggling as the light enter her closed eyes.
"Augh!" Tenshi gets out of the patient's bed stumbling.
"Jeez, you need to calm down. A little sunlight doesn't hurt. A proper deal of vitamin D." Tenshi snickers.
"A taste of vitamin these nuts in your mouth."
*SMACK*
"Ow."
"Serves you right. Honestly, who taught you to say that?"
"Myself."
"How unsurprising."
"You need to lighten up rabbit." Tenshi was about to change into the nurse's uniform until Reisen stop her.
"Today is a day of rest. Our patients are well enough that we don't need your help. You're all free to do whatever on the premises. Bare in mind, you'll be back here at lunch time and then back again before sleeping hours. Don't get caught being naughty or Eirin will chew us all out." Reisen quickly left as the girls watch her leave. She pops her head back in as if she forgot something.
"This morning is blueberry pancakes and French toast. Something Master had found out about from an outside world recipe book. Please, enjoy the breakfast. Hehehe." She was no out of sight of the three.
"Well, guess we should eat. You okay there Shion?" Shion was wobbling to and fro and had this pale, sickly look to her face.
"I'm...Not ok." Shion began toppling over only for Tenshi to hoist her back into bed.
"Ok! You lay down and I'll bring you some medicine and food." Shion weakly smiles.
"...Thanks." Tenshi nods as she look at the living doll.
"Come on then, we should help her."
"You don't think it's because of low misfortune?" Tenshi shook her head.
"The symptoms would be different. She's sick so she must of caught something from the patients."
"Alright, but if she disappears tomorrow."
"She won't...That's not even how we die anyways."
"How would you know that?"
"I saw the massacre from heaven in fact I was in the middle of our own purge. Damn Shinigamis and their rules. They certainly pick a good time to wreaked havoc all those months ago. Momm- Iku could've been taken away." Medicine hums at the slip up as she focuses her glass eyes at Tenshi.
"Homesick Celestial?" Tenshi grunts as she left in a hurry hiding a blush.
"I wonder who misses who the most." Medicine lightly chuckles.
"Sister...mmmmh...It hurts so much." Medicine grabs a wet towel nearby and lays it on Shion's head.
"Things will get better...right Yuukarin?"
"A group lesson?"...I repeated this twice over once at the dining table and now outside at the garden where Patchouli is now testing my aura heating potential. Everyone was alarm how I didn't seem bothered by cold despite being in light clothing.
"Wow! That is super cool."
"Shouldn't you not be affected by the cold? You're both undead. Aura and chi are basically the same thing."
"We can still feel cold temperatures. In fact we'll freeze in extreme colds if we stay in such weather." All powerful, loses to water, sunlight, no blood to drink,cold temperatures and as they're type of oni senzuban beans.
"Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Is it because you're basically cold blooded and will be force into a deep sleep?" Patchouli signal me to raise my body temp more. I'm gonna burn the garden soon.
"Much better. You don't feel strained over there?" Not really. She again signal me to go further. Patchouli do you want to burn the place down?
"I think you need to stop. The heat, I can feel from here now."
"Just a few more tests. Keep going."...Patchy.
"Meiling might be right."
"Keep going, I'm freezing out here." I swear this is too much.
"You truly are like her. Astounding. You feel alright Mr.Rose?" I stretch a bit and nothing felt unusual. I guess it's just getting used to this whole magic thing. Then again, from Vector's explanation this is all part of my whole schtick here.
"Well, from here I'll be burned alive if I step close. Patchy isn't this enough? He's turning my yard into a ash pile." The greenery underneath my feet was now turning to ash.
"What is your element Remi?" Remilia looked at Patchouli with confusion.
"Its fire. Why?"
"Can you match his output?"
"No. I'll start to wither away at the halfway point. I don't get how he is so comfortable." Right. Our elements cause drawbacks on us with sustained usage.
"Have you try taking the jacket off Mr.Rose?" I see what she means I took it off and yet, nothing seem to change.
"Well there goes that theory. My best guess is you have high immunity like Ms.Kazami. It's rare to have such high affinity." Patchouli signal me to lower my magical output to the minimum.
"Whew. I felt quite stuffy though with all that heat. You guys could've made S'mores with all that heat." I got some confuse looks.
"S'mores?"...Right my side of the language.
"Cinnamon crackers with marshmallows and chocolate in between the crackers." This cause a mix of reactions.
"How unhealthy." Patchy you're a pudgy girl. You ate most of the cake from yesterday. Though I won't say that outloud.
"Can we try some?" Good question.
"Ya know what graham crackers are?" I got a nod from Sakuya.
"How about marshmallows?"Again a nod from the head maid.
"You definitely have chocolate right?"
"Certainly. How much you need?" A few bars.
"Just a couple pieces." I look around the garden until I found what appear to be a firepit built into the ground.
Convenient.
"That will do."
"The firepit? During winter?" I'm a walking heating magnet. What's cold gonna do?
"It'll be fun to try outdoor camping. Besides the skies clear for once." In broad daylight.
"It'll have to wait until nightfall." Good point Patchouli.
"So it's called camping when you go outdoors to eat?" Not quite Remi.
"It's a thing to experience mother nature by living in the forest. It teaches you how to survive. Or it's a good get away from the house to spend time with family." Remilia eyed the firepit and consider her options.
"Hmm...Maybe a night away from inside will be a nice change of pace. However, right now you're fighting Meiling."...What?
"Lady Remilia? Surely I'd rather get back to my guard duties than teach him Martial arts. Speaking of? Do you know Martial Arts of any kind?"
"Boxing,and wrestling." She look at me confuse. In their terms that would be.
"Sorry, uh boxing it's a form of fighting with only your fist however, you used your footwork and core(body) to carry the weight mostly. As for wrestling from my, I guess you put as more of grappler base kinda similar to Sumo. Just it's more about subduing your opponent's options in a fight rather than pushing one person outta the ring." Meiling nods and turns her her left side facing torwards me. Her stance was crouched and close off other than her light bounce to her feet.
"Now I'm interested. It's rare to see another Martial artist. Though with the way you describe boxing it sounds like wing chun just without kicking." In a way yeah. I put my dominant right to match her left to be squarely with the only unevenly thing was my left was my guard and jab side. She can keep up with the basics.
"How come Meiling gets to have fun. Aren't we making S'mores?" Big sister's order Flan. I can't really go against them.
"I want to see if the boy was just lucky or does he have such a skill."
"How utterly barbaric. Magic is refined, you don't ne-!?"
*Crack*
Meiling try to catch me off guard and go for a cheap hit to my face. Unfortunately, after Astergo's little training sessions. I got better at reacting to on the fly hits. Her hit landed on my forearm so I move it away to go for a inner clutch. I don't need to hold back.
"Taaa! Hitai!" She just barely dodge my grab to go for open palm strike to chest...just what I wanted.
"Waa!"
*CRNNNCH*
A well executed pull in to the knee to her stomach. I get a better one handed grab on her shoulder to deliver fast gut punches with the other.
"Pugh!" Meiling didn't seem winded just surprised before wrenching free and going for an axe kick.
"ARGH!" It's alot faster then I could see so it it was a clean hit.
"ENOUGH!"
*FWUU*
We both went for a straight punch and intentionally miss eachother. I guess we're both rusty as all hell.
"Quite a show of barbarism isn't it?"
"It's art in it's purest form milady Remilia. I would love to spar with you more Venus." Despite the obvious blood we both just split. I may of put too much oomph into those strikes. I wipe my face and yet I can see her clutching her right side.
"Ah shit. Sorry about that Meiling I didn't mean to." She chuckles and shakes her head.
"I'm not some delicate flower. I can take hits. Though that style of yours...You could kill humans with just that trick alone." She straightens up abit and hobbles into a vacant chair. Yeah, I wasn't very strong back then. So I self taught boxing and how to grapple people pretty well. If I was strong as I am now...I definitely could've kill...
"Chin up kid. That gloomy face of yours is not nice to look at. What would your lil girlfriend say if she saw that?" I laugh for some unknown reason.
"That I'm human enough to be loved, but too youkai to not be feared. I've seen how some people look at me." Though it might just because I'm Mom's son.
"You got that right. That's the mantra we hear all the time during big gatherings."
"Mantra?"
"Reimu's secret mantra: "Stay human enough to be loved, but always be youkai enough to be feared." Personally I think she talking about herself. I think the shrine maiden feels she's a monster in human clothing. It's hard to convince her otherwise." Meiling makes it sound so normal. Like Reimu feels...rejected by her own kind.
"Is Reimu an outcast?" Meiling scoffs.
"Yes and no. It's complicated and 20 years of being here has taught us very well not to pry open the enclosed mountains." I see.
"Well let's not pry on it. We should make a shaded place by the firepit for Milady and lady flandre." She's quick to get up. Though her wincing face showed me the amount of pain I put her through.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be up and going like normal pretty soon."
"You know I could've puncture a lung or broke some ribs. Unlike Joon, you're a regular youkai." She chuckles as she walks slowly torwards a storage shed.
"Broken bones and getting hurt are apart of my job. I just haven't felt anyone strike like that in a long time. I don't want an easy fight or you holding back. So next time time."...
"HAAA!"
Meiling makes a fast strike that stops before hitting my chest. She's the fastest one yet.
"You shouldn't apologize for hurting people in a match. You won fair and square. I'll now consider adding those means to my style next time. Maybe I'll teach you chi cause your body might handle it better."
"That'll be a nice change of pace. Yeah people used to tell me not to apologize so much. I see it as being polite is all." It was a major verbal tick that I couldn't get rid of.
"Hmmm. Sounds like you just didn't have the confidence to say what you really mean." That could be it.
"Not dwelling on it for now. Let's just get this shade up for tonight." Right.
"Here you go Shion." Tenshi lays a plate of food in front of the sicken god. She seem to have a livelier look to her face.
"It seems good. Thannnk you Tenshi...mphh." Delving into a fluffier than normal pancake that had blueberries in it Shion was in another world happily humming and swaying.
"Pretty good huh?" Tenshi had an orange that was peeled and took a bite as Shion hum in affirmation.
"Girls!" Eirin's voice rang out from the hall. The sudden clacking of her heels as she rushed in to examine Shion.
"I see you're enjoying the princesses' new concoction?" She began fandangling around the room before finding a vacant seat in front of the occupied bed.
"Just a few questions alright?" Shion nods.
"Fever, any headaches, and or stomach pains?" Shion points to head and gives a nod.
"Alrighty, next question...how long after you've been physically abuse or then some?"Shion stops eating to look appalled at Eirin and with eyes wide and mouth agape. She swallows and catches her breathe.
"About...2 weeks ago at the start of winter. Why?" Eirin purses her lips as she looks at her clipboard.
"You're hips are widening right?"
"...Yes? Miss Yagakoro?"
"Hold on wait you're saying she's..."
"It's a possibility until we run proper test. Ever been sexually active?" Tenshi interjects.
"No! Shion you would've told me right?"
"It...I don't want...can you please keep it secret?"
"Doctor's are all about confidentiality of their patients so yes. You can say whatever it is that happen." Shion takes a deep breathe before the tears start falling.
"Joon...try to sell my body...not too long ago. At first I thought she was joking. Until the day came...I was...weaken that day. I was assaulted by the first customer...soon after he dropped dead from a heart attack. During those hours though...It was the worse experience of my life."
"But you're not...you know." Shion shook her head.
"I wasn't rape...but doctor what is happening to me?"
"You're ascending Shion."
"What?"
"When a god reaches a certain point in time they...get to have a better body. You two are fairly young gods with bodies of teenagers and you both spend like one. But, you're body can't contain itself like it is. So you'll ascend into a proper god eventually. I don't know what that'll entail for you both. All gods become vastly different after full divinity." Tenshi chuckles and breathes a side of relief.
"I thought you was pregnant there Shion. Don't scare me like that."
"Trust me. I would've said it immediately. But alas the only one of us that might get pregnant soon is that Mindreader from the underground. I envy you younguns. UNDONGIEN! WHEN YOU GETTING ME GRANDKIDS!" A flustered cry could be heard of a certain moon rabbit.
"NEVER! STOP SAYING WEIRD THINGS LIKE THAT MASTER! MUST YOU SAY THAT WHILE ARASAKA IS AROUND!?"
"HE'S A CHILD! YOU'RE AN ADULT INABA! GET BUSY!"
Pretty soon Reisen appears with a giant blush and crooked ears to match.
"I won't "get busy" with anyone. No matter how many guys try to get with me just cause I'm a rabbit. I want someone who cares about me for me and not my body."
"You're the reason the gene pool has no adorable moon rabbits walking around. Tewi did it...you should too." A gasp came out of Reisen with a shock expression as she found the words to say.
"I am nothing like Tewi. That little prankster doesn't even care who she beds cause she's been around for too long."
"Ehhh whats up. I heard my name. Stop saying I'm the loosest girl in all of Eintei, Reisen. Also."
*WAP*
"EEEK! Little trouble maker!" After being smack on the ass by the Head Inaba the two of them ran through Eintei surprising the patient's. Eirin watch the display in slight amusement.
"Never a dull moment with the Inabas. I should get my paper work done before I join in training the princess today."
"I'm barging in unannounced and I don't care what Eirin says. I'm not welcome and I don't think little prissy cares either." Eirin sighs as she heard the irate white hair Phoenix showed again.
"Mokou!"
"Yeah!?"
"Blueberry pancakes!"
"SWEET! I'LL BE GOOD!"
"YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR WORD!" Eirin smiles before getting up and heading for the door. She stops and looks at the Celestial and poverty god.
"You both gonna be alright?" They look at eachother.
"Yeah, Thanks Eirin." Eirin nods and quickly leaves.
Okay The tarp is now set up, the pit is ready to go and Sakuya had the ingredients. Meiling wanted another spar. I couldn't say no and we took it slower than the first time. I also refrained from grappling her this time. She wanted to know the difference between boxing and wing chun and quite frankly it's minimal at best except I can dodge better than deflecting hits.
"I'm so glad to find another person so adamant to learn martial arts." There's a few other.
"Youmu."
"She trains in swordsmanship I meant purely hand to hand." I see.
"Don't you spare with Sakuya." I watch as Sakuya flinch a bit as I said that.
"I'd rather not."
"Sakuya is very afraid of getting wallop and I can't say she isn't wrong." Meiling rolled up her right sleeve and the scars over a well built forearm muscles it was clear as day why.
"I'm a youkai whose pretty much above or below my mistress in terms of raw physical strength. You're somewhere above lady Remilia's strength. If you keep at it, you might equal to a true Oni's base line."
"You certain?" Meiling nods with confidence.
"I can tell you keep a balance work session at the garden. Yet, your movement in combat is surprising." I just didn't have the time to get better. Meiling got good at catching me off guard, so I had to get creative with when to dodge and when to deflect.
"Well a proper sparring partner helps with getting better."...It's certainly better than how I learned before.
"Here you go." Ah Sakuya. She sets down the ingredients and yeah some of these were hand made.
"You make you're own graham crackers?" Sakuya nods.
"I make alot of things by myself. Anything else?"I saw a few curious fairy maids look over at us.
"Why not join us?" They reacted flustered before quickly heading off before Remilia could catch them.
"You're much too inviting. Now then...a little payment?"...Right, song an-!?
"Mmmmph."
"Flan!"...
They both bit each side of my neck. I didn't feel all that drained, just surprise is all. Flan had my blood smear on her hands licking away like a messy kitten.
"So metallic."
"You'll ruin your dress Flan."
"Honestly some restraint before you greedily down your meals." I'm not food. Unlike Remilia's bite wound, Flandre's wound was a messy clamp down with clear tears that were slowly closing.
"You certain you're ok?"
"Yes. It definitely gave me pause about my mother's choice. Not that it matters cause right now it's S'mores making time." Meiling's concerned face, with the others being apologetic, except Flandre who had this feline wonder in her eyes. I walk up to the stacked wood and check the brush underneath.
It's dry enough to be burned.
Setting the pit a light with a small fireball before redirecting the wind and watching the slow catches reach until a consistent orange flame appear. I only now notice that the others huddled near flame.
"Okay, so first you heat up your marshmallows on a stick." I got lucky and found some good sticks for this and planted the soft sugar treat unto one. I repeated this until every had two on each stick.
"Next you break the crackers and place the chocolate on it while you lightly heat your marshmallows."
"Like this?" Flandre was slowly inching her's to the burning zone. I slightly move it away and began rotating the stick slowly.
"Now you wait a minute as they browned. I'll handle the crackers alright?" I got a hums of confirmation.
"So Venus?"
"Yes?"
"What is your deepest desire?"
"Hard to tell Remilia, maybe it's. Acceptance, or that I just want to live freely within my own limitations. I'm... a very simple person."
"Is that so? You certain of such a frail desire?" I can't lie when there isn't much that people can offer.
"What can anyone here offer me truthfully? Hell, I don't care for higher power or been seen as the strongest person. I just push back after plenty of warnings were given." Remilia gave a hearty laugh as her response.
"There are people who quite humble and know their limits. It's exactly like her. You're both so powerful yet honest with humility...it's a rare trait of the gardener or you carry her intentions with alot of heart."
"No point in grandstanding Remilia. I'll just chalk it up to not having the easiest life. I understand Mom's plight the most. We're just doing what we need to survive."
"Quite right Mr.Rose. With such a mindset you must of been quite the hard worker?" Patchouli's words hung in the air for a moment until Flandre's voice cut through the ice.
"Is this good enough?" She waves her marshmallow stick at me.
"Yeah let me put this together."...Ok, Graham crackers, chocolate and then toasted marshmallows on top. Put the 2nd cracker on top. Repeat process until everyone has one. Except myself as I dislike marshmallows so I put chocolate and graham crackers together with a little heat and dug into the gooey mess.
"Mmmmph!"
"Maybe...being out here isn't so bad. Sakuya what say you?"
"I'd say being out here is good once and awhile perhaps we should try next year milady?"
"Mmmm. Quite.
"It's absolutely fascinating. Is human food always like this?"
"Madam Patchouli some is on your night gown."
"This is...a great thing to experience. How come we didn't try this before?"...That is good question.
"Well, we're all so busy and preparing snacks for my little mistresses is priority over experimenting with food stuff."
"Sooo, when were you gonna tell me it's december?" The girls stop munching away to look at me.
"So you've notice?"
"I already asked Sakuya and she lie about the date. It's Christmas Eve tomorrow isn't it?" They nodded.
"Yes, I apologize for doing so."
"Don't be and Merry Christmas."
"Yes, Merry Christmas."
"Here here to Christmas."
"Under the mistletoe a fair kiss shall be bestowed on Christmas Eve."
"YEAH! Merry Christmas!" How excitable Flandre gets.
"Oh by the way. Here." Remilia those a gloves.
"Fire resistant and very durable gloves for fighting purposes. I hope you take good care of them. They're from my Uncle, but I couldn't fit them." An uncle?
"From the outside World?" She nods as I took the black leather gloves.
"He is a good man. Just travels around alot...quite dandy, but loves his family very much."
"He got a name?"
"Not quite just a title."
"Being?"
"Slayer: Scarlett of Gungnir." Hold on...
"Slayer exist here?"
"Why do you ask as if you're surprise?"
"Slayer, the Slayer?" She's now really confuse.
"He invented the way of elegance and dandyisms yes? "THAT" Slayer?" She nods.
"A problem?"
"None what's so ever. Makes alot of sense actually."
Author Notes:Didn't mean to take so long. Merry Christmas everyone. Yeah I threw that last part in because let's face it. Gensyoko can have whatever.