A: Hey, Hey! I got the goods, 9,000 words of it. Don't worry, I'm not dead, just very slow at writing. How about I answer some questions for ya?

...

ireadcoolfanfics: Based.

SimpleGuest: Thank you for reading! You are correct, Frisk has 5 HP due to blood loss from their wound (A spin on the fact that Frisk gets extra HP after bed rest, except the opposite). And yes, being in a Danmaku Battle is very dangerous (That's why Reimu was mad). They will get their HP back after regaining their blood.

Soupboi: Thanks! I try my best to be accurate enough to the original characters despite being green. That is a good question! Frisk is focusing on this world but will occasionally reference their past. They will tell the whole story when the cat comes out of the bag.

Guest: Hmm.. I won't tell. Not yet. That is something to reveal later :)

...

A: I lied, there is an extra Omake! Something FUN you could say. It has no bearing on the story whatsoever ;)

Fun Omake 1:

Reimu sighed as she scrubbed a blue sweater. Blood is a pain to get off. With the child, Frisk, currently bedridden, she took care of their previous clothing and decided to wash them before taking them to Rinnosuke. She grimaced at the potential cost of the repair, even at a heavy discount.

As Reimu pours one of Marisa's potions into the wash basin, she freezes as she hears a weird chime. It wasn't natural and came from the pile of objects off to the side. Reimu found a few items that Frisk was carrying, in pockets of their blue shorts or hanging around their neck.

The weird black box is making a noise. The shrine maiden stares a bit before picking up the device. A white face was displaying words she didn't understand as it was in a different language. As it vibrates and makes that obnoxious chime, she remembers Nitori saying something about pressing a green button and placing something to your ear.

Reimu pressed the answer button and placed the mobile phone to her ear. She hears mumbled speech coming from it until the voice speaks up.

"Uhm, is anyone there?"

"Eh? Yes… Who is this?"

A grumble and paper shuffling was coming from the box. Then the voice seemed to get its bearings and spoke.

"Okay, good. I'll cut to the chase, I need someone. Can you get G-... Wait, did I get the wrong number again?"

"What?"

Reimu didn't know what the voice meant until she heard an exasperated sigh.

"Since I'm here, might as well. You know the drill."

"What are talking abo-"

Music started to play in the background as the voice sang.

"Oh, it's the wrong number!"

"The wrong number song."

"We're so very, very sorry we got it wrong!"

"Oh, it's the wrong number!"

"The wrong number song."

"We're so very, very sorry we got it wrong!"

*click* *beep beep*

The music stopped as the voice cut out with a monotonous sound. Reimu looks at the device with confusion.

"?"

She puts the device aside, wondering if this was an Outworlder thing.

"Maybe not having this technology is good for Gensokyo."

She picks up the washing board and starts to clean the shorts.

Through the carpeted halls of a mansion was a maid dressed in blue. The maid looked around the hall, nodded to herself at the pristine condition of the hallway, and started walking down it to observe the next room. She passed draped windows, golden candelabras with dim flame, and paintings made by artists of global fame, then she stopped at a purple vase. The violet vessel sat on a marble pedestal, its fragile beauty made with expert hands, now sitting 2cm off center.

Sakuya narrowed her silver-blue eyes and, with a deft action, pushed the vase back into its rightful spot. Her mistress has a particular fondness for this vessel and others like it due to its unique style, so the object straying away from its rightful place is unacceptable. She wondered if one of the fairies dusted the vase only to push it slightly. It reinforces that she is the only competent housekeeper in the entire mansion and she sighs.

Sakuya was dusting one of the armor stands when a fairy called out hurriedly, "Izayoi-Sama!" and flew towards her. She noticed the fairy knocked into one of the many vases and was too slow to catch it. The head maid stopped the vase from falling, frozen momentarily. Then she reverses its momentum back onto the pedestal like it was never pushed at all.

"Bell, you should exercise caution, even when there is something urgent." Sakuya lightly chastised the fairy and the lesser maid bowed in apology, clearly flustered.

The fairy spoke, "I'm so sorry! The Mistress requires your presence! She told me to go as fast as possible and so I tried looking everywhere for you and she had this bad dream and-" As she stopped to take a breath, the fairy noticed that the person in question was absent. "Izayoi-Sama?" she called out, but the head maid was gone as soon she heard 'Mistress.'

"I told you to slow down, didn't I?"

*Reimu stares over her shoulder as you are carried on her back, the red and white of your hakama blends in with her clothes. The maiden's gaze does not phase you as you grin tiredly over her left shoulder. You have spent most of your energy running around and exploring the human village. You have discovered a pop-up theater stage with a trio of musicians playing to a crowd of people, a neat general shop run by a bearded man who looked like a human version of a previous monster king, a bar packed with older gentlemen that a young waitress tend to their orders, and a Terakoya school filled with children learning under Keine that you met before.

*With also interacting with anyone brave enough to walk up to Reimu for a conversation (Which is, sadly, not many) and playing with other children your age, it is not surprising that you almost collapsed due to overexertion. Fortunately, Reimu was near you and saw the signs before you fell over. After picking you up, she had to be the bearer of bad news and tell the other children that you must head home. Now you smile innocently as you thought almost collapsing and being carried around was worth it. Reimu sees your non-apologetic look and only rolls her eyes at your satisfied smile.

"Let's find Marisa first before we head back to the shrine. Just rest until then."

*You nod and enjoy the slow pace. Before, there was a whirlwind of activity in the human village in the morning and early afternoon. Now the number of people moving has lowered as the sun gets closer to the horizon, and certain shops close while others open for the evening. As the lanterns are being lit, Reimu's irritation slowly grows. You both haven't found Marisa yet. The witch is the only way to safely carry you through the air, so the annoyance is understandable.

"If I was a shady magician that takes things without asking, where would I be?"

*You didn't answer her question, you continued to look around as Reimu made her first guess.

"A bookstore."

*As Reimu makes her guess, she changes direction with assurance. After a few minutes, you find a small, rustic shop with a sign above it. The sign is three placards with a symbol on each one. Even with the little knowledge of the written language here, it's difficult to parse out its meaning. You poke Reimu and ask what it says.

"Eh? Oh, that's Su-zu-naan. The characters are not that hard. Are you not Japanese?"

*You shake your head, and Reimu raises an eyebrow. She decided to push off questioning your origins and she walked into the building. A bell announces your arrival with a melodic chime, welcoming all visitors and alerting the shopkeeper.

"Ah, give me one minute!"

*Footsteps got closer to you and Reimu, and around one of the lines of bookshelves appeared a girl older than you by a few years. Like Sunny, she had orange hair tied into pigtails. But that is the only similarity between this girl and the mischievous fairy. Her maroon eyes stared curiously as she straightened out her yellow apron over her checkered Kimono, and then those eyes widened with familiarity at your current transport.

"Oh, Reimu! What brings you here?"

"I'm looking for a golden-haired kleptomaniac, and rent a book or two."

"Eh? If you mean Marisa, she has not visited the store today. But I can assist on the second topic!"

*The girl walked up, bells tied to her twin tails jingling as she stepped. You can't help but stare over the shoulder at the brass bells as the girl meets your gaze. She slowed down, finally noticing you on Reimu's back. She looked between you and the Hakurei, comparing you two.

"Umm. I apologize, I didn't see you there. Are you related to Hakurei-san?"

"No, Kosuzu-chan. This is the Outworlder I spoke about during my previous visit. This is Frisk-san."

*She nodded and the bells clinked at the motion, mouthing your name and committing it to memory. You tug at Reimu's sleeve to let you down, having enough energy to stand again. You were lowered to the ground as Kosuzu waited patiently. The girl bowed and greeted you properly.

"Hello, Frisk-san. I hope the village has treated you well, we don't get many new visitors. I'm Kosuzu Motoori, my family owns this shop so ask me anything book-related!"

*You nod at her in affirmation and the room goes quiet again. Kosuzu stands there awkwardly, not knowing how to bridge another topic.

"..."

*Reimu decides to help the poor girl and speaks up for you.

"Don't mind them, Frisk-san is not very talkative. Do you have books on medicine?"

*Kosuzu breathed out and her cheerful demeanor returned when a familiar subject was brought up. The Shopkeeper walked up to a shelf full of scrolls while talking to Reimu about what she needed. During the search, the topic changed to Danmaku Battles. Kosuzu asks Reimu about certain rules on spell cards and produces a tag with a spell card for Reimu to determine if it is valid.

*After a few seconds of an exchange about pattern complexity and spell duration, you grew bored of the subject and curious about this place. Now that you are standing again, you have some spare energy to walk around this bookstore. You are sure Reimu won't mind if you separate and shop for a book to read.

*You walk away from the maiden and bookworm to the bookshelves filled with hardcovers of cloth and leather. Different languages take up their spines, the only ones you can understand don't interest you much. As you walk by the shelves, smelling the air that permeates from old paper and ink, you look over the genres and feel disheartened at the predicament. If you could read the dialect here, you would better understand what book you might like to read.

*You bump into something as you turn the corner to get to the next section. You briefly felt something silky and smelled lavender before tumbling to the ground. You look up to see your unexpected obstacle.

"Oh my. Are you alright, little one? You should pay attention to where you're going, or something like this could happen."

*A tall woman in a purple gown carrying a closed parasol looks down at your fallen form with concern, but the woman's golden eyes seem to light with intrigue. You apologize as you attempt to rise to your feet.

*The lady sees your struggle and reaches a hand out to assist you. You grasp her outstretched hand, the smell of lavender lingering, and she pulls you up to your feet. You thank her and apologize again. The woman smiles and places a hand to straighten your hair.

"Do not worry, we all make errors. Did the selection enamor you or were you indecisive of what to read?"

*You nod at the latter question. You assume this lady works here due to her specific inquiries. Her eyes glimmer with curiosity, and that gaze is familiar to you. It's a clinical and academic gaze like she's trying to parse what could be a good recommendation.

"Let's see. Ah, this one is good. Perfect for your age. Not much difficult vocabulary and the stories are interesting enough."

*The woman wearing a cloth cap reaches out and grabs a book from the top shelf. After looking over the cover, she hands it over to you gently. You see the book in the language you still don't understand, only an illustration of the moon being familiar to you on the front cover. But the woman recommended it, so you would ask Reimu to tell you what it is.

*You thank the woman and she tilted her head in amusement, her golden hair swaying as she moved.

"Anytime, little one. When we meet again, I hope that your condition improves. Are you enjoying yourself while you're here?"

"Frisk? Where are you?"

*You hear Reimu calling as you stare at the woman inquisitively. You turn around and move your head around a bookshelf to see the maiden's own doing the same. She spots you and heads over, looking a bit relieved.

"There you are. I knew you wouldn't be far. What have you got there, a book?"

*You nod and turn around to say goodbye to the lady. You see she is no longer there, the smell of flowers gone. You look around and find no trace of her as if she vanished into the air. You follow Reimu to the store counter and ask if she saw what she's looking for. Reimu huffed.

"No, we didn't. All of the books on medicine have been rented out. The only people who might have them are Eirin or Marisa. I swear, that woman brings more trouble than she solves."

*You walk up to the counter to see Kosuzu behind it, wearing reading glasses and engrossed in a book. She noticed your approach and bookmarked the page, ready to receive any transaction for the many books that reside here. You decided only on the one recommended to you and placed it on the counter, your head barely above the wooden top.

"You want to rent this? Okay! It's 800 yen for a week. Do you have anything to carry it or want it wrapped?"

*You nodded and wanted to pay, but Reimu walked up and placed the required yen on the counter.

"Make it wrapped, we have a long flight back to the shrine."

"Okay! Once again, I apologize for not having what you need."

"It's no problem. It wasn't necessary, I just thought I asked while I was here. I wanted to find Marisa, and assumed this would be where she would pull her stunt."

*Speaking her name, the door swung open and the bell chimes again. The witch in question walks through the entrance while carrying a full bag, a practiced speech already leaving her lips before she notices you and Reimu.

"Hey Kosuzu! I need to borrow a book on paper making! Of course, I'll pay you back later… Oh, hey Reimu! Frisk. How's it going?"

"How's it going?"

*Reimu grabs Marisa on the ear, pulling it as the blond mage yelps in pain.

"WE WERE LOOKING FOR YOU. It's been hours and you didn't show up at the Terakoya like you promised!"

"Ouch! Quit it! I was waiting at Keine's but you two took too long! It's not my fault you took your sweet time to meet up, so I went to the market!"

*Marisa pushes away Reimu's hand and rubs at her ear. She sighs while hefting her carry bag, lamenting why she had to buy food for an ungrateful friend. You turn to Kosuzu and ask for the book wrapped with paper and tied off with twine. The Bookworm handed it off and smiled.

"Thank you for your patronage! Make sure that book comes back in one piece, okay?"

*You nodded enthusiastically and went off towards the two guardians. You remembered something, stopped, and walked back to Kosuzu. She was puzzled by your abrupt return, but you spoke before she asked why.

*You said to have a good evening and the bells looked just as cute as her. You turn back to run towards Reimu after Kosuzu's face flushes as she makes a noise of surprise. Marisa, now having a few earmarks, grinned at your comment. Reimu tried to hide her amusement behind a calm demeanor.

"Haha! I've never seen her so red! Where did you learn that from?"

"Enough teasing the poor girl, Marisa. We have to head back."

"Fine… Let's get going, Ze."

*You exit the store while Kosuzu covers her face with a book. You put away your package in your Items storage when you noticed that Marisa was placing a book in her bag. You wonder how she managed to pull off "borrowing" the book in the brief time that Kosuzu was preoccupied and being needled by Reimu, but you reason that it's due to experience in the art of thievery on the mage's part.

*Now getting close to dusk, you make it to the edge of the village. The forest's warm autumn colors are now bathed in an orange radiance. Marisa takes the broom she has been carrying and saddles it once again, waiting for you to join her. You hop on with Reimu's assistance and Marisa lights a lantern with a magical spark and hangs it at the end of her broom.

"Next stop: The Hakurei Shrine! All aboard the magical express!"

"Do you always have to show off?"

"Hey, got to be better than you at something. Unless you want to prove that in a race?"

"When you have Frisk, you will not even think of it!"

*You laugh at the back-and-forth that highlights Reimu's and Marisa's interactions. They simmer down as the broom takes to the sky again, you look back at the village. The long shadows of the setting sun give the buildings a sense of respite as the clouds of smoke fill the streets as the villagers prepare for dinner. You gaze forward, anticipating a meal at the shrine after a satisfying adventure.

'Ugh. That was exhausting.' Reimu thought.

In her opinion, the trip ended less like a satisfying adventure and more like herding an excitable duckling through a trafficked road. Despite the injury, Frisk is full of constant energy and they spend it to feed their insatiable curiosity. She had to use her fortitude to keep up with the child and whatever captured their attention before they moved on to another place. On top of keeping track of Frisk's health and ignoring the constant looks the villagers would give them, she never thought taking care of a child would be this physically and mentally taxing.

Reimu looked ahead and saw Frisk giggling at something Marisa said and whispered something back. The Maiden had a smile forming on her face from watching the relaxed exchange. She envied the child's ability to adapt to people around them, not caring about how others view them and offering unbridled friendliness to everyone they meet. They could have decided to stay back in town. They can practically blend in, as if they were born in the human village, and live a comfortable life until they're fully healed. But they didn't. Frisk chose Reimu.

As the Sun was midway past the horizon, Marisa called, "We're heading down, hang tight!" and descended towards the shrine grounds. Reimu followed behind and saw Aunn waving them down. "Welcome back!" The guardian yokai spoke, her face flushed with jubilance at their return. After the trio landed at the torri gate of the Hakurei Shrine, Aunn ran up to Reimu and almost stumbled on her feet while skidding to a stop. The Shrine Maiden didn't mind the misstep as it could be explained by the younger yokai's enthusiasm. "How's the trip, Reimu? Did you get what you needed?" Aunn asked but gazed at a certain child. "Everything went well and I did what was necessary," Reimu answered as she knew what Aunn was implying.

Aunn breathed out and nodded. When she left to speak to Marisa and Frisk, another set of shoes stumbled from the shrine grounds. "Heya, Reimu! Here I thought that you might never show up today~!" A girl with two horns protruding from bright orange hair leaned against the red gate after taking some inebriated steps (Though is never seen sober by Reimu in any capacity).

"What are you doing here, Suika? Should you be at Yokai Mountain?" The red maiden asked with an authoritative undercurrent. Suika Ibuki was undeterred by Reimu's insinuation and walked up to wrap her arm around the girl. "Aw, I can't visit a pal? I came all this way to share a drink. Either that or a fight, I'd like that too." Suika said straightforwardly. Reimu wasn't surprised that would be the main reason for a visit, the pesky Oni was blunt as a boulder and as dense as one.

"Hitting you over the head sounds therapeutic, but I'm taking care of someone at the moment," Reimu answered back and Suika looked over to Frisk, who was currently throwing a stick for Aunn to chase after. The Oni seemed to realize something she had forgotten through an intoxicated haze. "Wait, so the rumors are true then?" Reimu assumed she noticed the Outworlder and nodded. Suika smiled and said, "Oho! And here I thought you were a lost cause! Good for you, Rei~!"

Reimu wondered 'Good for you? What's that supposed to mean?' as Suika sauntered over to Frisk. The child glanced over after throwing the stick again. The Oni grins and says, "Hey, kiddo! I'm Suika, a friend of Reimu. What's your name?" The child replied with a friendly "I'm Frisk!" and smiled brightly. Suika chuckled and exclaimed, "So cute! Brown hair, a red hakama, and a ribbon. You're definitely Reimu's child!" Marisa coughed to cover her laughter and Reimu blurted "WHAT!?" from behind. Frisk examined their clothing while Reimu stammered to explain to Suika. "Why do people keep thinking we're related!? Frisk is an Outworlder, you stupid Oni!"

Suika looked between the kid and the Hakurei and said, "So, you're not Reimu's love child? I heard it during my visit to Old Hell." Reimu ground her teeth as she bit out, "Yuugi!" and Suika answered "Yeah! Yuugi told me. I wanted to drink with you to celebrate~!" Reimu exclaims, "We're not celebrating! Frisk has their own family. I'm only their caretaker, that's all there is to it!"

Suika sighs, crouches down to Frisk's height, and says. "Your Okāsan is too mean, Frisk. How's life with someone like her?" Reimu didn't hear Frisk's answer as Marisa walked past. The Mage says, "I'll cook this time. Just relax with your child and your friend." Reimu's eyebrow twitched at the passing remark but Marisa was long gone, cackling like the witch she is at her friend's dilemma.

"So, you made some friends at the shrine?" Suika said, responding to Frisk while walking beside them towards the gate. The child nodded and Suika laughed, "Well, that explains why fairies are waiting for you guys." That got Reimu's attention. "Fairies?" The Oni answers, "Yup! Three of them are in the shrine, wanting to speak to you." The maiden was perplexed, how did fairies get into the shrine? And was Aunn supposed to be on guard duty? Reimu saw the Temple Yokai tailing Frisk with the stick in her jaws.

Aunn saw the Shrine Maiden narrow her eyes and wisely sidestepped behind Suika. Reimu already can guess what happened. Aunn was drinking with Suika and forgot to do her job. Reimu turned around and marched back to the shrine. When she got to the front doors, Marisa was waiting for her. "Took you long enough. Looks like I have to cook for more visitors, I'm glad I packed extra." Marisa stated, her face now humorless as she stepped to the side to let Reimu through. The Maiden opened the door to see the Three Fairies of Light, slumped against the kotatsu. They notice that Reimu is there and sit up straight. Seeing their fearful stares, The Maiden breathed in and out. "Explain." is all she could say.

…

"We Are Sorry!" Sunny, Luna, and Star said in unison. They bowed ninety degrees towards a standing Reimu, as the others watched by the table. The Hakurei states, "How much you ask for forgiveness doesn't matter. The blame was shouldered on Frisk and I told you to stay away from the shrine until further notice, did I not?" The three flinched at the rebuke but stayed in their positions. Reimu nodded at their remorse and continued, "However," the three fairies looked up slightly. "Frisk have shown their penance, even when I was harsh on them. Because of their actions, I allowed them to interact with you once more and you can visit again-" She didn't finish as the three fairies latched onto her. "Waaaahh! Reimu, thank you!" Sunny said through teary eyes.

Reimu tried to push them off but was unable, she yelled "Hey, let go! You're getting my clothes wet! I'll exorcize you all if you don't quit it!" Marisa and the others laugh at the fairies' antics. After that serious moment, it truly became a party. Marisa handmade some noodles while Star helped with the pan and cutting. Suika brought out her gourd and started passing sake while talking with Aunn. Luna and Sunny got out their apology gift: a cassette player they bought from Kourindou. Sunny put in one of the cassettes to play music. Frisk danced to the music and pulled Reimu to join them.

…

"Kanpai~!" and Suika and Reimu took a drink. The Hakurei was on their fifth cup. Frisk was distracted by a giddy Marisa explaining the uses of Mini-Hakkero as a burner stove. Sunny and Luna were busy laughing at Star's impressions and weird faces. Aunn was out like a light, already drunk past their limit. "I think this is enough." Reimu tried to reason with Suika, but she brushed it off with, "Don't chicken out now! We are just getting started! Again, Kanpai~!" they both drank again.

After the eleventh cup, things became fuzzy. Marisa was wearing a leaf crown with her hat to the side, dancing badly to the music while the fairies cheered on without restraint. Aunn's face was vandalized while she was asleep, cat whiskers, a curly mustache, and her left eyelid blacked out by ink. Frisk noticed that the cassette stopped playing and, instead of putting another in, they started to sing. The rest were awestruck by the melody in the air, as it wasn't the off-tuned notes of a young amateur, it was a practiced vocal formed by deep passion and emotion. "That's pretty… good… Frisk." And Reimu fell asleep.

*You drag Reimu into the main bedroom and tuck her under the covers. You wondered where she would sleep when you occupied the bed. You recalled that Reimu told you she rests at the kotatsu while you take the futon. You look back at the kotatsu and see Marisa occupying it, snoring loudly while holding her hat to her chest. The Fairies took up the rest of the kotatsu with Aunn, Sunny even lying on the table with tipped-over cups and playing cards.

*As you pick up the cassette player off the ground, you notice that one of the guests is missing. You look around and see that the back slider is slightly ajar. You put the device down, walk towards the door, and push it enough to sidle through the opening. As expected, you see Suika sitting on the steps. She looked up at the half-moon while taking a sip from the gourd. She picked up and ate a pan-fried dumpling Marisa cooked from a plate.

"You don't have to stand there, come join me."

*Suika spoke back to you without turning her head. This was surprising because you were extra careful not to disturb anyone. You nod and take a seat to the right of the Oni. You look up to the sea of starlight, the sight that never gets old after leaving the underground. Suika looked over to you with her red eyes.

"Eh? How bold of you to let your guard down around someone you just met, especially a Yokai. Are you not worried that I might turn on you?"

*You look over to Suika and shrug at her question. You answered that she doesn't seem like the person to use deception to get what she wants. The Oni pauses and stares at the moon, one half obscured by darkness while another shows radiance. She makes a 'Hmph' and takes a sip, again.

"You're confident by that assumption, Hmm? What do you know about hiding secrets to know someone isn't? What if you were wrong all along, and this is the part where I kill you?"

*Suika's jolly demeanor was gone and a stern and cold glare was in its place. Mist billows around you, slowly creeping past your legs. It seeps into the grassy area behind the Shrine and around the wooden platform you are sitting on. You could feel it brush against your soul, there is no escape from any attack. You choose to hit her arm lightly, telling Suika to stop it. She snickered and the mist dissipated.

"Yeah, you're right. I can never act mysterious and cunning, I'm terrible at it. How does Yukari even pull it off?"

*Suika reached out towards the moon, her hand grasping and making a crushing motion. She looked down at her palm and snorted.

"How about some advice instead? First: You know more than you're letting on. A kid's steps are unchained with eyes of simple curiosity. Your steps are timed, practiced, and efficient, with the gaze of a strategist. You could fool most people with your childish act, but I knew you had the mind and body of a warrior from when I first saw you. Work on that."

*You stare at the Oni as she gives you advice. You hesitantly nod and she continues.

"Second: As time passes, your reliance on Reimu will become a burden. What happens if you separate and meet a Yokai who doesn't care about your relationship with Hakurei-san? What if they are hell-bent on ending your life? What will you do, now?"

*You thought about the question, it's the one you've been asked back in The Underground.

'What will you do when you meet a relentless killer?'

*As you answered Flowey, you would give the same answer to Suika. She paused. After a few seconds, she laughed at your response.

"What? 'Become their friend'? Are you sure you're not related to Reimu? That's only for Danmaku Battles and there is no way Hakurei-san would recognize you as a participant. Are you sure this strategy will work?"

"Do you want to be friends?"

*Suika smiles and pulls you into a side hug. It's strong, yet comforting.

"Sure, kid. I'll call you Fris-chan from now on. I hope you'll live a long life, no matter where you end up. Don't just do it for me, do it for Reimu. Okay?"

*You nod and she lets go of the hug to gaze back at the moon. You think this is your cue to get some rest, so you rise and walk towards the door. As you reach the slider, you hear behind you.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Third: Gensokyo is more connected than you think. If you plan on doing anything big, know this. All eyes will be on you."

*You look over your shoulder to see Suika staring at the lunar satellite. You don't understand that cryptic message, but guess it will come up later. As you enter the shrine, you notice that the dishes were placed into the sink and the misplaced items are back in their rightful spot. Marisa and the others are still sleeping and you hear Reimu's soft breaths from the bedroom, so logic dictates that it was Suika. But she was sitting with you outside the entire time.

*You yawn, too tired to solve this mystery. You shuffle off to brush your teeth and take the medicine for your blood development. You habitually go into the bedroom to see Reimu still asleep. You crawl and collapse into the futon next to Reimu, your eyes falling until they close as you meet the land of dreams. You get pulled in by Reimu and both journey into the abyss, together.

Three days pass without much incident. After the party, the Fairies of Light and Marisa decided to head to their respective homes to nurse their headaches. Aunn woke up and ran off to the nearest water source when she figured out she'd been had.

Suika hung around and became Frisk's playmate for most of the day, which helped burn off the child's excess energy. They played tag and climbed trees to Reimu's dismay. The maiden had to step in when Frisk wanted to do "Uppies" and Suika nonchalantly threw them over twice the height of the Shrine. It didn't help Reimu's growing concern when Frisk, after being caught in the air, asked to do it again but higher.

Reimu sat Frisk in the corner as she chewed out the belligerent Oni on subjects like 'reasonable play' and 'not treating humans as projectiles.' After a few minutes of the lecture not sticking to Suika, both women decided to end playtime prematurely. Inevitably, the Oni needed to be elsewhere. As she passed the gate, she looked back and said her farewells. "See ya' later, Reimu~! Fris-chan, you better treat your Okāsan well~!" Suika stumbled into the forest to drink somewhere while the residents of the Hakurei Shrine facepalmed or giggled at her statement.

The second day was spent reading. In actuality, Reimu read aloud the book's contents to Frisk, who can't understand the written language. She wondered if Frisk was not taught hiragana or katakana despite being in Japan or if the child wasn't from Japan at all. If it were the ladder, then where did they come from? This made her curious, but the child's life outside the barrier was none of her business.

As Reimu described the scenes within the pages, she thought the stories in this book were odd. It had the simple title of 'Children's Tales.' It was full of stories she never heard before mixed in with some that were vaguely familiar. The ones unknown to her usually end with the protagonist using their pure heart to befriend monstrous creatures that would kill them otherwise. 'Yeah, right. Like a Yokai would listen to reason. Wouldn't have needed Spell Card Rules if that were the case.' Reimu thought sarcastically. She didn't voice her criticism as Frisk enjoyed those stories the most.

And finally, the third day started with Frisk getting up and quickly exiting the bedroom. Reimu was up early, surprised that the child was already awake and almost vibrating with excitement. "Right. It's the day you get your clothes back." The Shrine Maiden said while yawning. Frisk nodded frantically and went outside to do morning stretches. She was pleased that the child's health was improving by the day. Frisk's skin, once sickly pale, was now close to a light tan. The child's eating habits have normalized and they are more energized than before.

Now Reimu watches as Frisk does their stretches, barely keeping the form as their enthusiasm pushes them to hurry along. Afterward, Reimu told Frisk to go wash up as she prepared breakfast. The child obeyed and went to get themself cleaned at the nearby Hotspring, quickly coming back to devour the meal Reimu made. The Red Maiden knew Frisk could hardly contain their eagerness as their leg bounced in their sitting position. She carefully explains, "After I clean up, we will walk to Kourindou. Get your-" And Frisk dashed into the bedroom. "-shoes on…" Reimu finishes, exasperated and amused by the child's actions.

As she walked out, Reimu saw Frisk rang the bell and clapped their hands into prayer. The donation box, which usually was empty, now has a small mound of glittering coins peeking through the grate. The generosity shown by this one child made her think she was dreaming sometimes. There would be weeks without donations, and now she didn't know what to do with the money Frisk was practically throwing at her. 'Looks like I won't be eating rice crackers for a while. I can have things like pork… or beef.' She gulped at the thought of having red meat in what seemed like months.

Reimu shook her head to focus, she wouldn't let greed cloud her judgment. The few times that was the case has ended poorly for the Shrine Maiden. "Thank you for your tribute, may your days be filled with fortune." She bowed graciously and Frisk bowed back. They both left the Shrine and onto the dirt road. Reimu walked in pace with Frisk as they looked around at the swaying trees, leaves falling like rain as autumn reached its apex. She felt a hand clasp around hers, she looked down at the child staring back. Reimu smiled and turned her gaze back onto the road, enjoying the Fall colors as they walked.

…

"And here is the clothing, good as new."

Frisk reached out eagerly for the folded laundry and hugged it to their chest like a stuffed animal. Rinnosuke pushed their glasses back into place and breathed out in satisfaction. Reimu looked over the jubilant face of the kid and said, "It's flawless like always. How do you pull it off?" The shop owner crossed his arms. "That I can't say, because I would lose out on a paying customer," he answered shamelessly, and Reimu huffed.

Rinnosuke focused on Frisk and clarified, "Due to your payment, I've added some soft padding for extra protection without sacrificing mobility or comfort. There are some small reinforcement enhancements so they won't tear as easily, however, they still can be damaged through battle." The child nodded and looked down at their clothes fervently. It's like they got a brand-new toy and wanted to play with it.

"Is there an area they can change?" Reimu asked. The shop owner nodded and guided towards a curtained space where someone could have some privacy. Frisk entered and closed the curtain to change, Reimu waited to see why they were so excited, and Rinnosuke stood by because he had nothing else to do this morning.

They didn't have to wait long as Frisk opened the curtains with a flourish, causing them to sway as the child exited. Frisk's current clothes, no longer covered in blood or heavily damaged, are a blue, puffy sweater with two purple stripes and blue shorts that go past their knees. Despite its simplicity, Reimu thought it fit them well. Frisk hopped, skipped, and pirouetted, their joy so intense that flowers might bloom within the child's vicinity. The kid ran towards Reimu and she guessed what they were attempting to do.

She braced as the child glomped into her abdomen. Reimu rolled her eyes, thinking Frisk was too affectionate for their own good. Rinnosuke kept any comments to himself but quietly chuckled at the missile that struck the Shrine Maiden. "If you need anything else, I'll be at the desk. If not, have a good day. May fortune favor both of you." The shop owner bowed courteously and left Reimu, who was carefully prying Frisk off.

Reimu asks, "Do you wish to visit Marisa's home? It's not very far." Frisk nodded enthusiastically and they almost ran out. They skidded to a stop as something caught their attention. The Hakurei looked over to one of the many piles of dusted objects, an instrument, similar to a Biwa, was leaning against a rusted safe. The string instrument was tall, just barely shorter than the child, and its base had the shape of a flat gourd. Frisk walked up to it and picked it up, looking over the slightly frayed strings and the rosette that was almost scratched off. Frisk changed direction and returned to the shop counter while wielding the instrument. Rinnosuke raised an eyebrow and answered. "The guitar? It's been collecting dust for a while now. It's used to heighten the emotions of others, like joy and sorrow, by plucking those strings. It is quite a powerful tool, indeed. Do you want to buy it?"

Frisk nodded and parted five golden coins, walking back to Reimu while putting the 'guitar' behind themself, making it disappear. They both exit Kourindou and the Red Maiden states, "From now on to our next destination, do as I say. Follow closely, stay by my side, and don't leave it. We're going to Kirisame's place." Frisk takes what she says to heart, presses themself to Reimu's side, and walks in lockstep with her like a diminutive shadow. She snorts and admits, "Okay, not THAT close," as they journey down the path.

In truth, Marisa's house was not a large change in direction from the Shrine. but the detour required going off-path and deeper into the Forest of Magic. The forest is known to have magical fungi that spew miasmic spores that can be hazardous to a human's health. However, there are spaces between the clouds of spores if you explore the forest enough. Reimu flew through the area enough times to recall such places. If it proved too much for Frisk, she could always carry them over the forest and away from the spores.

They depart from the trodden road and into the treeline. Frisk was looking around as Reimu kept an eye out for any poison clouds. 'The ambient magic of the forest increases the deeper you go in,' Reimu recalled, but never really noticed the difference personally. She turned her attention to the normal human child and they didn't react either. 'Was it really the case? Maybe what Marisa told me was just hyperbole.' Reimu concluded as an autumn breeze blew a spore cloud away from the duo.

After thirty minutes of walking, the canopy grew larger and there were more shade spots. The damp and shaded tree trunks are where the namesake of the forest resides, their mushroom caps peaking from the fallen leaves. While avoiding them, Reimu finally sees an opening in the canopy and surmises they are getting close.

Suddenly, there was a loud boom and a rumble. Lights flashed between trees and the sound of confrontation was in the air. Reimu and Frisk see a colorful explosion from above and a form falling toward them with a ghastly "Heeya!" Reimu and Frisk glance at each other and take a few steps back. Branches rustle and break as a person falls through the canopy and onto the ground in front of the duo. It was a Yokai, a rabbit Yokai to be exact, covered in light burns and scratches. Stray twigs and leaves tangled in her light purple hair.

Her rugged ears twitch as she sits up with an exasperated "Ow." Marisa flew down on their broom, looking at the Yokai with a cheeky grin. "Looks like I win, Reisen. It was fun while it lasted, but you interrupted my experiments. Bye bye!"

Reisen got up with a groan and spoke back to Marisa. "This isn't over! You will give back Yagokoro-Sama's medicine soon enough!" The witch casually says, "Yeah-yeah, whatever. If the hag wants it back, she can visit me herself." With that, Reisen turns and leaves. She was surprised that Reimu was watching with a child by her side. She awkwardly went around and bounded out of the forest using her ability.

Marisa got off her broom and said, "Hey Rei Rei! Frisk! Why are both of you here?" Reimu watched the kid run up to the mage to give some skinship and answered, "We went to Kourindou to pick up Frisk's clothes. They wanted to visit to show off."

The Witch nodded while rustling Frisk's hair. "Really? Did you want to visit Auntie Marisa so badly? Well, head inside and chat over some tea, Ze!" Marisa stated, walking towards the clearing in the Forest of Magic. While talking about mundane subjects, all three reached their destination, a modern-styled house overrun with vines. A small garden tree neatly kept welcomes those near the entrance. As everyone makes themselves comfortable inside, Marisa moves some books off the kitchenette counter to place her Mini-Hakkero and ignite the elemental fire within. A colorful jet of flame appears in its center, only intense enough to boil water, and Marisa places a standing kettle over it.

"So, can I ask why you were having a Spell Card dual against an Inaba?" Reimu said while sitting on the couch, some boxes were moved aside so she could rest. The witch shrugged and said, "Eiren was probably miffed that I borrowed some medicinal herbs from her storage. It's not a big deal, because I'm using it to help Frisk." She turned to the kid in question and stated, "Enough about that, you wanted to show off, kid?"

Frisk nodded and spun around once, their arms out as they shared their joy. Reimu explained, "It's their previous clothing, they are quite satisfied with the repair." The mage's puzzled expression lights up with realization. "Ah, I see. Now you need to get rid of that head wrapping and you'll be back to your usual self!" Marisa exclaimed, seeing why the kid wanted to show off. Reimu became silent, just watching Frisk doing some poses like they were on a stage.

'Right, they are almost healed. In a few days, Frisk wouldn't need those bandages. They won't need me to protect them anymore.' Reimu thought as Marisa served a cup of tea. She looked into the green reflection and took a sip. It was bittersweet.

*You stare at the chromatic five-pointed star in Marisa's hand, an overwhelming sense of familiarity takes hold in your mind. She speaks up from her seat to get your attention.

"Pretty awesome right? I can throw hundreds of these things in a single Spell Card and layer on each other without breaking a sweat."

*Marisa closed her hand and opened it again to reveal that the star was now a triad of stars orbiting around a center circle. Humans casting magic in Gensokyo was still a novel idea to you, and a simple spell like what Marisa is using still leaves you dumbfounded. You think about the reason why and pouted. Humans back home don't cast spells or fly, and yet Monsters said that there were Wizards years ago who did. Was the information lost? Did humans think they no longer need it?

*You thought of Toriel and Asgore creating a bombardment of fireballs, Papyrus and Sans summoning bones making your soul blue, and Undyne conjuring magic spears. You agree in the assessment that magic is just awesome.

*You scratch your chin and an idea pops into your noggin. You ask if Marisa can teach you. She looked surprised at first by your question, then a prideful smirk formed on her features. The stars dissipated into sparks that fell through her fingers. Her hand balled into a fist that pumped into the air.

"EAT IT, Patchouli! I won the bet! HAHAHA!"

*You were confused by this declaration and turned your head to Reimu for answers. She explained the context to you.

"She made a wager on who would take up a magic apprentice first. Marisa's acquaintance doubted her claim to have that achievement."

"Patchouli said that Alice would get an apprentice before me. ALICE. Who would want to learn doll magic from that loner? Blowing stuff up is way cooler!"

*You nod at such profound wisdom, Undyne would approve. You leaned in and ecstatically asked Marisa how to make those stars as she did. The mage raised her hands at your enthusiasm.

"Woah, okay. Slow down, kid. It would be fun to teach you, but you're putting the cart before the horse. It isn't as easy as it seems. There is a process to it that only a few dedicate their whole lives to."

*She bit her lip, trying to find words to elaborate. Marisa looked at the box full of picked mushrooms and continued.

"Take the stars for example. To get the point to make even one, I needed to experiment and record how magical plants store their energy and release it. Mixing, crushing, burning, boiling, freezing, and drying, I did everything I could do to these plants to see what would happen. Look around at the many shelves here, filled with grimoires on everything I discovered from my many experiments. And these are the complete notes! I had many failures along the way and had to throw out entire batches and place flawed theorems in the attic, which is almost full to bursting at this point."

*You look up to the stacked books and loose paper, a lifetime of practice and refinement surrounding you and filling the entire room. You feel your excitement gutter and die. The thought that even a fraction of the needed experience would be too long before having to leave the barrier is heart-crushing.

*You sniff at the overbearing defeat. You want to use magic like everyone else! Reimu sits up straight. Marisa sees you're about to cry and places a hand on your shoulder.

"Hey, hey. It's okay, I get it. Even if you can't make stars today, I can still teach you the basics! Magic is very versatile and there are multiple answers to one problem. Plus, I still have a bet to prove I'm a good teacher, you know?"

*She winked as she added her last remark, it filled your heart with familiar warmth. You stare and nod, your soul is lit with a burning Determination to learn all you can while you're still here.

Hieda no Akyuu is trying to control her emotions. Emphasis on trying. Externally, she was as cool and polite as possible, but her twitching eyebrow portrayed how Akyuu felt after hearing what the Kappa had to say.

"So, everything is in order? There is nothing wrong with it?" Akyuu questioned the large backpacked individual. The male Kappa was going through his notes and answered, "Well, as far we can understand. The statue is not physically damaged, and none of our tools are picking up interference or discrepancies. We'll do more testing, but this statue was built centuries ago and is most likely working how it is supposed to be."

The Scholar looked up at the Dragon Statue and the red eyes that stained its majestic features for the past three days. She knows the statue was a foretelling of an incoming incident, but nothing has appeared or been talked about in the papers. If it were a normal incident, the crimson eyes would be a facet for a day at most and then fade to the usual colors to forecast the weather. After getting some rumors about the statue's unchanging eyes, Akyuu called on the expertise of the Kappa in hopes of figuring out if the weather prediction device was broken.

'If it isn't vandalized, and the statue is not damaged, what could this represent?' Akyuu thought. She knows the statue's mysterious contraption was vague but never inaccurate. The Chronicler shuddered at the implication. 'Whatever this is, it's going to be major.' Akyuu innerly speculated, comparing the situation to an active volcano. As the days pass, that pressure will grow. She fears that when the pressure is released, a proverbial eruption will wipe out the village. But that is later, now she can only wait. Wait and Prepare.

"A few more tests will suffice. Even if you find nothing after the fact, you will still be paid for your time." Hieda no Akyuu says and bows courteously. The Kappa bowed back and responded, "Thanks for your generous offer, we will do our best to find anything to notify you about." The Yokai returned to his compatriots to continue their work.

Akyuu walked away and noticed someone in the corner of her eye. A maid was staring at the statue and she stopped in her tracks. 'Sakuya? Is she here to shop at the market?' Akyuu questioned, 'But why would she care about the Dragon Statue?' The maid turned and left, walking away from the market's direction to go somewhere else. The Scholar continued back to their residence but kept Sakuya's odd behavior in mind.

The maid was searching for someone, and Sakuya was following a trail. 'They stopped at the statue and walked away in hand with Miss Hakurei.' She evaluated, ignoring the group of villagers that parted to not get in her way. The infamy of the Scarlet Devil Mansion reaches here and even when she regularly shops at the market, some villagers avoid her occasionally. Then she walks by the visited shops, the small theater, and the Terakoya. She hears the children play and the visiting mothers gossip about the "Hakurei Child." as many of the villagers monikered. Many circulating rumors muddied any profile the child would have, one becoming more ridiculous than the last.

The only words that seem the most ludicrous than the others are spoken by her Mistress. "Find the young one with dark hair and eyes closed to the world, and learn everything about them." she decreed, and Sakuya obeyed it to the letter. She knows where they reside, but to go to the Hakurei's home to ask a few pointed questions is a fool's errand, due to the Gaurdian's suspicion of anyone from the mansion. Right now she needs to tie up loose ends before returning to her Mistress to give her full report.

Sakuya stopped in front of a bookstore. She looked up at the sign with three placards and walked in. "Eh!? That's it? They just bought a book and left!? Come on, Motoori-san, give me something to work here! What else did they do?" A Tengu with a notepad exclaimed to a flustered worker. "Well, they did compliment my bells and said they were…" Kosuzu paused and became a bit embarrassed, Aya Shameimaru noticed and prodded more. "They said what, Motoori-san?" She asked leadingly with eyes that gleamed with the hunger of an opportunist.

Under pressure, Kosuzu answers, "They said the bells were as cute as I am…" Sakuya raises an eyebrow at the girl who puts their hands over their face in embarrassment. Aya started writing into her notepad and speaking under her breath. "A child that could be an Outworlder but could also be a Hakurei, stood their ground against multiple Yokai and flirted with Motoori-san. If they are a child of the Shrine, how rebellious! 'The Little Heart-Piercer,' I can see it now!"

Kosuzu looked horrified, "Please, Shameimaru-san! Don't put this in the Bunbunmaru! I'll die of embarrassment!" She cried while her face was completely red. Aya sighed and relented, "Okay, fine. It's just a kid speaking their mind, Motoori-san. That happens all the time! Have some self-confidence, those bells are cute!"

The bibliophile played with her hair and the flush receded a bit, "Is that all, Shameimaru-san?" Kousuzu asked and Aya answered, "Yeah, yeah. I got what I needed! How's the paper selling?" Afterward, they chatted about the newspaper and Sakuya waited patiently. She is not in any rush as the maid got the gist of what happened here, and some other factors. 'The Child came from the Outerworld? That explains why they're enigmatic.'

Aya turned around and almost jumped. "EEP! Ah, hey Izayoi-san. Sorry, I didn't see you there." She said, surprised at the appearance of the maid. Sakuya answers mildly, "It's no insult. I came here to find a book." Aya sweated and said "Ah, then I'll be on my way. Have a good afternoon!" and she walked around quickly to exit Suzunaan. As she vacated, Aya turned the corner and thought, 'Find a book? Yeah, right. The mansion's library has enough books to drown an entire village. She's searching for something, but what is it?'

She paused when a thought crossed her. "Could it be the kid?" Aya questioned. But why would the Scarlet Devil Mansion want a single Outworlder? Is it because of the contract? She shakes her head, 'No, that would be too coincidental. A single human child is not worth their time.' The Tengu reasoned, but a part of her whispered 'What if?'

She turned down an alleyway and flew into the air, not worried about causing panic as everyone was acclimated to her delivering news almost daily. She flew to the edge of the village, landed in a tree heading towards the mansion, and waited. She is going to find out and make a huge headline of it. Her sharp instincts never steered her wrong.

A: Thanks for reading! The train is moving forward and it isn't going to stop. Before you ask, yes Suika pronounces it as "Fris-chan", it's not a typo, it's intentional. Fris could be pronounced as fu-ri-sa (Fries) She is affectionately calling them "Small Fry".