~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library

hungrybookworm's Tasty One Shots - Warmth (Fluffy Reimu/Marisa)

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hungrybookworm: Time for some random shorts! I'll probably turn this bit into a table of contents at some point, but first let's kick things off with something I just finished today. (Contains spoilers for the recent popularity poll results... if you're afraid of being spoilt over that for some reason.) Gratitude (AO3 Mirror) ?Those donations won?t appear out of nowhere you know,? said Marisa as she strolled up to the shrine through the snow, her hands on her hips and a huge smile peeking out from under her scarf. Reimu pulled her head out of the donation box and frowned. ?I?ve plenty of donations already, thank you very much. And what?s that on your dress?? ?Oh, this?? Marisa patted the colourful sash draped over her shoulder. ?I found it outside my front door this morning. Check it out.? Reimu narrowed her eyes. ??Congratulations! #2 in Gensokyo!?? Number two for what?? ?I dunno. Anyway, what?re you doing if you?re not fishing for coins?? Reimu raised her arms out of the donation box and produced a small, round cake. ?Someone got a whole cake through the bars. I?m not sure whether it?s a prank, or if someone got confused over where to leave offerings, or what.? The cake was decorated with simple white icing, and had ?Congratulations! #1 Forever!? clumsily written in red. Marisa almost felt jealous. ?Woah! Cut it up, I?ve been dying for some cake all week.? ?Who said I?d give any to you?? Reimu moved back inside the shrine and placed it on the table. ?And don?t you get plenty at Alice?s house?? ??I?d like some cake.? ?Gah!? Both girls jumped. Reimu turned and glared at the new arrival. ?Koishi, don?t do that! How long have you been here anyway?? Koishi shrugged. ?I?m hungry.? ?Oh, you?ve got a number too.? Marisa glanced at her hat. There was a shiny new badge pinned to the ribbon. It was lime green with the number three painted in white. ?Yeah, I woke up and found it on my hat. I don?t know how it got there, but I don?t mind it.? She turned to Marisa. ?Aiming for number one next year?? ?Well, eh?? Marisa looked away. ?We?ll see about that.? Reimu finished cutting the cake into thirds. ?I?ll eat it all myself if you prefer staying out there in the snow.? ?You?ll get fat if you do that.? ?Who?s getting fat!?? ***** Remilia smiled, and pulled the vinyl record out from its sleeve. Beethoven?s Sonata Pathetique. Truly the best in western classical music. All she needed now was some piping hot tea to fully enjoy it. ?Sakuya! Sakuya, where are you?? ?Um?? And in came Meiling of all people, in? a maid outfit? ?I?m sorry, but Sakuya-san decided to take the day off.? ?What!?? Remilia?s face went bright red. Sakuya? A day off!? ?Bring her back right this instant!? ?I-I?m really sorry, but she?s gone up Youkai Mountain, so?? ?I don?t care; get her back right now!? ***** Flandre opened her eyes and rolled to one side. Another day. Another morning spent staring at reinforced concrete and peeling damp paint off the walls. She rolled over again, listening to her wings tinkle against the floor, when her foot collided with something. She shot up, her heart pounding unexpectedly fast. It was a ball, made of what looked like rubber, and there was a note attached to it. Dear Flan, Congratulations on finally beating your older sister and gaining fifth place in the poll. To celebrate, we pooled our savings together and bought you a present. It?s an indestructible ball, made from rare material available in the future. Hopefully it?ll brighten up your day a little. Love, your fans. Flandre picked it up and spun it around. She rolled the ball over and over in her palms, searching for its weak point. But there wasn?t one. She wasn?t sure how it was possible, or where it had even come from, but suddenly her hands were damp and her vision blurry, and she could taste salt in her mouth. Thank you? ***** Sakuya sighed with relief. A mountain was no place for a human to be in winter, and stopping time had barely helped with the snow. But here she was, in front of the Moriya shrine, feeling horribly guilty for leaving her mistress all by herself for so long. But doing this would build ties long severed for the mansion. ?Oh, a visitor in this weather?? A familiar shrine maiden came out from the main building, half camouflaged in her white outfit. ?Yes, I?m here to see Sanae Kochiya.? Sanae?s expression fell the moment she recognised Sakuya. ?Oh. You. Here to gloat again this year?? Sakuya had been a bit? rude during her last few visits, but this time was different. ?I?m here to share these with you.? She held out a large velvet pouch. ?There?s some shortbread inside.? Sanae took the bag and peered inside, worried it was poisoned. ?There?s no? blood or anything right?? ?No, it?s for humans.? The snow silently fell around them, catching in their hair and melting against their cheeks. ?Um, why are you giving me these?? Sanae touched the tag attached to the draw string and turned it over. ??Congratulations on number four??? You still got into the top five?? Her cheeks went pale. ?I?m here to apologise. I?ve been very unladylike in the past.? Sakuya grimaced from the memory. ?And? I look forward to a time? where we can solve an incident together.? ?Together??? Sanae reached into the pouch and pulled out a biscuit. All morning she?d been depressed about her rank. She thought about the time she got number two, how much fun she?d had solving incidents, but now? ?Do you really want to team up with a loser like me? After all those mean things I said back when I was higher than you, and when Youmu was fighting alongside me?? Sakuya smiled. ?I wouldn?t come all the way up here if I didn?t.? And she reached in and took a biscuit too. ?Can we eat these inside? I?m sure your gods will want a few too.? Sanae brushed the snow off her bare shoulders, and let herself smile a little. ***** The next day? ?Reimu, there?s about five tons of raw sewage at the back of the shrine and a note from someone called ?your anti-fans?.? ?What!?? The End

hungrybookworm: Longest one shot I've written in years. Lunar Orbit (AO3 Mirror) A spider crawled along the shrine porch. Marisa scooped it up and let it scuttle over her palm, moving her hands in a slow circle to let it keep walking. Eventually she let it down, and it ran out of sight. It?d been eight days since they?d returned from the Moon, and Reimu still wasn?t back yet. The shrine grounds were covered in a thick layer of frost, and white winter leaves swirled over the tatami mats indoors. A family of mice had taken up residence in the donation box. But despite the obvious signs of neglect, the shrine still smelt of incense. It still smelt like Reimu, and that just made Marisa feel even worse. She heard the leaves crunch. Someone was walking up the path to the shrine. Marisa immediately got to her feet, but the figure walking under the torii gate wasn?t the Hakurei shrine maiden. It was a blonde magician with a small doll hovering over her shoulder. ?There you are,? said Alice with a sigh. ?What happened to our weekly study session? It?s not like you to skip a chance to pilfer my books.? Marisa couldn?t hide her disappointment. ?Oh, I was just lounging around here. I?m thinking of moving in.? Alice?s expression didn?t change, but her doll twitched. ?That would be nice. I?d get some peace and quiet for once.? She sat down on the porch and placed her grimoire in her lap. ?But I don?t think running a shrine is very profitable.? ?Tell me about it.? Marisa sat down too. The trees hissed as the wind blew. She thought of Reimu peering into her donation box. The way her eyes lit up if she saw the coins gleam in the sun. ?Maybe I?ll turn it into a hotel.? Marisa checked on the shrine every day. The first morning back had been great fun; she?d gone through the buildings, peeping through cupboards and doors she?d never had the chance to check before. She found a few valuables that were now resting safely in her living room, and a few silly knick-knacks that she?d never expected to find: rejected spell cards, newspaper clippings from a few decades ago (woah, Reimu?s mum was hot) and a collection of old, worn out ying-yang orbs piled up in the store room. Boy was she glad Reimu was away. But as the days passed, she started getting impatient. It was silly, really. Marisa had plenty of friends, plenty of people to bother and hang out with, and yet every two hours she?d find herself back at the shrine, sitting around and pacing for about fifteen minutes, before getting bored and flying off again. This would go on until sunset. She couldn?t even focus on studying magic; her eyes would glaze over and her mind wandered endlessly. Maybe Reimu was back already. Maybe she came home that night. Maybe she was sitting around drinking tea. Maybe she was covered in bandages from all the lunar torture. Maybe maybe maybe. And then there was that. ***** The journey had been fine at first. The rocket was spacious, and the different stages gave them privacy if they needed it. There were plenty of books to read ? Patchouli had selected a wide range of grimoires, fiction and novels from the outside world to entertain them. Marisa couldn?t do much practical magic practise, but the books kept her theory in shape at least. Reimu spent most of her time awake in front of the tiny shrine in the wall, her eyes closed. Outside the scenery was the same pale blue. Marisa had spent whole days at the shrine before, but she?d never been around Reimu this much in the past. True, they didn?t talk much; Reimu had to concentrate, and was usually sleepy by the time she was done for the day, but they often sat together as she did her job. Once Marisa tired of books, she?d watch Remilia and Sakuya interact, or go tease the fairy maids. Then she?d lie down and have a nap, watching Reimu?s mouth move soundlessly as she dropped off to sleep. Night never came, so for practical reasons everyone slept at the same time. Remilia got the whole upper stage to herself at first, with Sakuya and a maid sharing the middle. Reimu and Marisa shared the bottom with the other two fairies. Everyone had their own futon, and there was plenty of space to roll around and tiptoe to the allocated bucket if nature called. Marisa?s naps were playing havoc with her sleep schedule, and she?d often find herself awake after only a few hours, staring at the wooden ceiling and worrying if she was going insane. They lost the bottom stage, and Sakuya was permitted to sleep in the same room as the vampire. Everyone else just had to make do. Marisa could still see the bottom stage falling down through the window as she closed the blackout curtains for the evening. She instinctively touched her pocket, making sure for the third time that day the mini-Hakkero was still with her. Her broom and hat were next to the bookcase. Everything was fine. She woke up four hours later, and saw Reimu staring at her. The fairy maids were sleeping soundly, and the hum of the rocket rumbled gently through the floor. The shrine maiden?s futon sheets were coving her mouth, and her hand was lying upright on her pillow. Marisa stared back at her, wondering if it was some kind of game. Neither of them moved. Then Reimu?s hand twitched, and Marisa found herself reaching out. The sound of the sheets felt deafening. Finally their hands touched, and cupped together like it was the most natural thing in the world. They couldn?t look away. They lay there, holding hands, afraid that somehow one of the maids would notice, or Sakuya would come down to check on them, or the other might pull away in horror. Finally, Reimu?s cheeks bulged with a smile, and she let go and rolled over. Marisa?s hand felt cold for the rest of the night. ***** Living in the upper stage was hell. It stank of blood from Remilia?s meals, and they could all barely fit without touching each other. Going to the toilet required everyone in the room to look in the other direction, and the shower Patchouli installed had fallen away with the middle stage. ?She probably assumed we?d be close to the Moon by now,? muttered Remilia. ?But we?ll be fine. Sakuya can just sponge bathe everyone.? Marisa nearly dropped the book in her hand. ?Are you serious?? ?Done.? Sakuya was smiling, holding a bucket full of soapy water (wait, that wasn?t the toilet bucket, was it?) and a sponge. Marisa suddenly felt oddly clean. ?See? That wasn?t so bad, was it?? ?Patchy sometimes forgets to bathe, so Sakuya has to give her a wash without disturbing her research,? explained Remilia. ?She?s had a lot of practise, as you can see.? Marisa felt her face go red in humiliation, and reached for her pocket. ?I- I?ll blast you to pieces!? ?Can you keep it down, please.? Reimu?s voice was cold. Marisa glared at Sakuya, but the maid just kept smiling. It made her skin crawl. Days passed. The room got hotter. At night Remilia jealously guarded her bed, and everyone else had to somehow fit on the floor. Reimu had been acting like nothing had happened since the night they?d held hands, and Marisa hadn?t exactly brought it up either. She was starting to wonder if it?d all been a dream. On the sixth day upstairs, something changed. Sakuya and Remilia didn?t notice it, and the fairies didn?t either. There was sweat running down Reimu?s forehead, and her legs trembled in her kneeling position. Marisa had seen it happen once or twice recently, and Reimu usually corrected herself quickly. But it didn?t stop until lunchtime. It happened again the next day, and Marisa felt compelled to check on her. ?Reimu,? she whispered, ?shouldn?t you take a break or something?? Reimu shook her head once, and carried on. By dinner Reimu was flopped on the floor, staring into space. Her work was over for the day. Sakuya came over with a plate of rice and eggs. ?Good work for today,? she said, placing it on the floor next to her. ?Hey, why?re the portions so small?? Marisa frowned at her own meal. It barely filled up the small plate. ?Are we running out of food?? ?It seems we ate a bit too much last week. Don?t worry, there?s still plenty to keep us going.? Sakuya gave her usual professional smile. ?Sakuya, are you sure there?s enough blood in this thing?? Remilia poked her steak with her fork. ?I?m truly sorry, Milady, but if I add more blood then we may well run out later.? ?Hmph.? Remilia pouted, then looked at Marisa. ?Don?t we have emergency rations?? Marisa glared at her, and Sakuya shook her head. ?A magician?s blood has all kinds of toxins in it. If it comes down to that, then I shall have to be the donor.? ?What was the point in bringing her along then?? What was the point indeed? As Marisa lay in her futon watching Sakuya draw the blackout curtains, she hoped the Moon would be worth all this trouble. Her muscles were starting to ache from a lack of exercise, and she was itching to get back to her magic experiments. If she neglected them for too long, her magical power might deteriorate. Maybe she should have just stayed at home after all. Darkness. She heard Sakuya step gingerly over the fairies, then get into her own futon. Even the maid was too bored to stop time for a kip. Marisa dozed. Reimu was fast asleep in the futon next to her. Remilia snored in the background. When she next opened her eyes, Reimu was looking at her again. The sheets didn?t obstruct her face this time, and Marisa could see how worn out she looked. Of course she was worn out. Reimu was spending hours every day keeping them up in the air, using techniques she?d only started learning properly a year ago. If she slacked off even once, they might fall out of the sky and burn up. It suddenly hit Marisa how easy everyone else had it, how her own boredom was a blessing compared to being a human rocket engine and meeting the demands of not one, but three gods. It was a miracle her friend was allowed to sleep at all. Marisa reached out this time. Reimu didn?t hesitate, holding out her own hand in response. But Marisa didn?t clasp it; she tugged on the shrine maiden?s arm and pulled her in, over to her own futon. Reimu let her, moving like a limp doll. Soon the two of them were lying in the same bed, covered by the same sheet, barely centimetres apart and close enough to whisper without being overheard. ?What?s wrong with you? It?s not like you to show weakness. Why aren?t you asleep?? ?I can?t sleep yet, there?s still things I have to do.? Reimu?s voice sounded croaky, even as a whisper. ?You were snoozing just fine earlier.? ?Did you notice anything about our speed?? ?Huh?? Marisa frowned. ?No, what about it?? ?We?re slowing down.? She felt Reimu sigh. ?And talking to the Sumiyoshi has been tougher these last few days. I?m worried they?re getting bored.? ?Seriously?? ?Yes, so I need to think of a way to interest them again. I wouldn?t mind if the vampire got barbequed, and those fairies won?t stay dead so they?ll be fine, but I can?t let two humans in my care die.? ?You?ll die too, you know. We?re too high up to fly, and I doubt your power will help you in space. And stop being stupid, you?re having trouble because you?re tired out. I?m exhausted and I?m not even doing anything.? Marisa tried not to let the panic show in her voice. ?Just get a proper night?s sleep. I?ll even give you some of my food for breakfast, okay? You can pay me back for it once we?re home in Gensokyo.? ?Fine, fine.? Reimu didn?t sound convinced. ?Don?t tell anyone I told you that, by the way. Well, you?re a liar. They won?t believe you.? ?Exactly, you can talk to me in confidence.? Marisa smiled. She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and placed a hand on Reimu?s head. Her hair felt soft and conditioned. Clearly Sakuya had been at her with the sponge. ?You?re Reimu Hakurei, remember? Lazy shrine maiden extraordinaire. Now go to sleep.? ?Yeah.? And Reimu moved her head forward, dislodging Marisa?s hand, and rested her forehead against her shoulder. ?I can?t wait for privacy again. I mean, look at me. This is ridiculous.? She touched Marisa?s forearm. Her palm was burning hot. ?I get all touchy-feely just because you?re being nice to me? This is a joke.? ?Are you like this when Yukari?s nice to you too?? Marisa tried to crack a joke to ignore the weird, lightheaded feeling running through her. ?Hey, Reimu? Oh.? She was asleep. Crap, Marisa had meant to get her out of the bed before that. She?d have to move her herself. Except she must?ve fallen asleep too, because she blinked and suddenly the rocket was full of light. The blackout curtains were drawn, and Remilia and Sakuya were looking over them with bemused looks on their faces. ?Well, well, well.? Remilia raised her eyebrows. Marisa looked down and saw Reimu still asleep against her. ?I?m not sure whether to be surprised or not.? Sakuya shook her head. ?I knew you two got along, but not quite that much.? It took all day for Marisa to correct the misunderstanding. ***** ?What was it like on the Moon?? Alice?s question brought Marisa back to the present. They?d been sitting in silence for at least ten minutes, and Alice?s arms were crossed in irritation. ?Oh, um.? Marisa shook her head, trying to act normal. ?Well, getting there was awful. I nearly throttled Remilia.? ?Yes, but what about the Moon itself?? ?There were these peach trees. Loads of them.? Marisa frowned in thought. It?d only been just over a week ago, but it felt like forever. ?And the sea.? Alice?s eyes widened. ?A real sea?? ?Yeah.? Marisa grinned, and exaggerated with her arms. ?It was huge! Way bigger than all the lakes in Gensokyo put together!? ***** Marisa hit the water before she even realised the rocket had broken apart. She screamed, water flooding her lungs, her legs kicking wildly. Wooden debris scratched her skin, and she saw little trails of blood float up to the surface. She flailed her arms, desperately trying to move back up. Then the worst was over and her natural buoyancy kicked in, and soon she was rushing up to the surface. She broke through, and immediately grabbed the first plank of wood she saw. She coughed and hacked, squeezing her eyes shut as water came up through her mouth and nose. Disgusting. Her eyes stung and everything smelt and tasted of salt. Her head hurt and her scratches throbbed. At least she was alive. Her panic faded as oxygen flooded back into Marisa?s brain, and she took a look around. Before her was a vast body of water, far wider than anything she?d ever seen before. As a child she could remember being awed by the Misty Lake; now she knew it was a mere puddle. Behind her was a sandy shore several metres away, and what looked like a row of trees. Where was everyone else? She looked around, but the sea was deserted. Her hat was stuck to a large chunk of wood to the right, so she paddled over to grab it. Had the blast separated everyone? Reimu?s face appeared in her mind, and she wondered if shrine maidens were ever taught how to swim. Nah, Reimu would be fine. She didn?t need something to kick off against to fly, so she could just float out of the sea. Marisa placed her sodden hat on her head and started doggy paddling over to the shore. She rolled onto the sand, feeling the grains move under the surf. She lay there for a minute, her hat partially covering her face, enjoying the fact that she was alive and on dry land. The sun beamed down, the waves hissed at her feet. Her wounds stung. Everything was perfect. But she couldn?t lie there forever. Marisa was an invader, and there could be enemy troops surrounding her any minute. She batted the hat off her face and sat up. ?Oh, you?re alive,? said Reimu, frowning. ?I was just about to poke you too.? Marisa laughed, and a smile appeared on Reimu?s face. The shrine maiden was sitting a few metres away, squeezing the water out of her sleeves. Her arms looked strangely naked without them. Marisa got up and sat next to her, smug with relief. ?I figured you?d drowned or something. That pond at the back of your shrine doesn?t look big enough to swim in.? ?Oh, well I?m sorry to disappoint you, but I had swimming lessons as part of my training. What about you? I didn?t know the village school?s curriculum included water sports.? ?I got a gold star in synchronised swimming actually.? Marisa looked back at the sea. Now that she was safe on dry land, she could admire its beauty. ?How big do you think that is?? Reimu started putting her sleeves back on. ?Bigger than Gensokyo. Maybe ten times the size.? Marisa whistled. ?That?s crazy.? She reached into her hat and pulled the mini-Hakkero out from a hidden pocket. She?d been expecting a fight that morning, so she moved it back to its usual place. It was a miracle it hadn?t been lost at the bottom of the sea. ?Alright, it?s not damaged. Oh.? ?Oh?? Reimu looked. ?Oh.? The mini-Hakkero was drenched. Salt water had mixed in with the fuel. Any Master Sparks Marisa attempted would be damp squibs at best. ?Well crap. That?s me at a handicap.? ?My amulets are drenched too.? Reimu grimaced. ?And the spell cards themselves are soft. I should?ve put a waterproof border around them.? Marisa quickly pulled out her own cards. They were damp, and the ink had run in a few places, but they?d be useable. ?Maybe this is why we don?t have seas.? They sighed. Did spell card rules even apply on the Moon? Neither of them were exactly confident in their hand-to-hand combat skills. ?Where?s the vampire and friends?? asked Marisa. ?Seen them anywhere?? Reimu shook her head. ?The maid probably rescued them.? They sunk into silence after that, watching the sea. After spending so long in the clamour and noise of the upper stage, the gentle sound of the waves felt almost unnatural. Once Reimu started eating half of Marisa?s breakfast on the rocket, her concentration skills improved a little and they managed to get this far without issue. The crash landing was a bit unexpected, and nobody knew how they were going to get back, but at least they got there. Yes, that?s right. They were on the Moon! There was the sea in front of them! How many generations in Gensokyo had longed to be in their place? Marisa reached down and scooped up some sand. It was dark brown and ran through her fingers like liquid silk. ?Oh, there you are.? Sakuya?s voice rang out from behind them. She looked completely dry. ?Have you seen Milady anywhere? I think she wandered near the peach trees.? ?Nope.? Marisa turned back to the sea. She saw Reimu shrug in the corner of her eye. ?Haven?t seen her or the maids anywhere.? ?Oh dear. Well, I?ll find her, and then we can decide what to do next.? ?Okay.? And she heard Sakuya walk away through the sand. Soon they were alone again. Reimu sighed. ?Hm?? Marisa looked at her. ?Oh, nothing. I was just worried it was only us.? She stood up, brushing the sand off her skirt. ?Yeah, that would?ve been pretty bad.? Marisa stood up too, feeling slightly disappointed for some reason. ?What should we do then? Fish?? ?Fish?? Reimu laughed, and started taking her shoes off. ?I want a paddle.? ?You?re kidding. After all the swimming we just did?? ?I?ll race you.? ?Fine, you?re on.? Marisa kicked her shoes off and tossed them onto dry sand. ?Hey, flying?s not fair!? They ran into the sea, kicking water at each other and giggling like little children. The whole shore was their playground, and for the first time in weeks they could finally exercise. ?Not so fast!? Reimu was already running ahead. ?Catch me if you can then!? Marisa leapt forward and tackled her, grabbing the back of her friend?s legs. Reimu shrieked and the two of them tumbled to the ground, causing a huge splash. The wet sand got everywhere, turning their clothes a muddy brown. ?What was that for?? Reimu pouted, then scooped up some wet sand. ?I?ll get you for that!? ?Oh, sand danmaku, huh? You?re on!? Marisa used both hands to grab as much as possible. ?Take this!? The huge ball plopped to the ground, missing Reimu by a long short. Marisa felt something wet and slimy hit her forehead. ?Hey!? ?Haha! Dodge this too!? Reimu was already grabbing more. Marisa dived for her again, aiming to knock her into the water, but Reimu just stepped to one side. The magician fell with another huge splash. ?Oh, is the gravity difference getting to you, Marisa?? But Marisa was already moving. Reimu?s hand was in grabbing distance, and she snagged it before the shrine maiden could react. Reimu was yanked forward, and the two of them suddenly collided, yelping, laughing, feeling the sea beat against them. They rolled to one side, a tangle of limbs, and Marisa was suddenly aware of how close they were. Reimu?s nose was touching her cheek. ?Hey, Reimu, um?? A hand grasped her wrist, and soft lips pressed against the corner of her mouth. Marisa froze, her brain barely registering what was happening. Her sense of smell, her sight, her mind was suddenly overwhelmed by Reimu. A cold hand touched Marisa?s cheek, and moved her head slowly to one side. Their lips overlapped. Marisa shot up, as though a jolt of electricity had run through her. ?What are you doing!?? Reimu looked away, hurt. Marisa instantly regretted it. They sat there in silence, neither woman knowing what to say. Eventually Reimu stood up, and started moving back to the peach trees. ?We should try fishing.? ?Y-Yeah.? Marisa got up too. ?I wouldn?t bother,? said a cold voice. ?That sea is dead.? A woman moved out from the foliage. She held a long, thin sword, and had a patronising look on her face. A Lunarian. Marisa felt her face go bright red in horror. ?How long were you there for?? The Lunarian looked deeply uncomfortable, and momentarily looked away. ?Ever since you took your shoes off.? She saw Reimu rub her face before glaring at the stranger. ?Well, you should?ve come out earlier. It?s bad taste to spy on people like that.? ?I don?t want to hear that from an impure human.? The Lunarian?s voice cooled, and her mouth turned upwards in a sneer. ?Dirty animals you are.? ***** ?So what happened after you saw the sea?? Marisa couldn?t tell her the truth of course. ?Well, we tried to go fishing, then this scary Lunarian showed up, and we ended up having a fight.? She groaned at the memory. ?It was a joke.? ?As in, she was a joke?? Alice smiled. ?No, the whole fight was terrible. We were pretty shaken by the? rocket landing, so me and Reimu weren?t thinking straight. She was going to cut us to ribbons, but I managed to persuade her to try out a spell card duel.? ?Oh? Do they have spell cards on the Moon?? ?No, and there?s nothing enforcing the rules either.? Marisa grimaced. ?We had to teach her a bare bones version of it, then we took turns trying to attack her with water-damaged spell cards and barely functioning weaponry. It was awkward as hell.? ?Sounds fun.? Alice glanced at her doll, undoubtedly wondering if she could?ve managed it. ?Who won?? ?She ripped through us. Reimu managed a draw.? She felt her expression darken with guilt at the mention of Reimu. ?After that we got sent back here.? ?Except Reimu.? ?Except Reimu, yeah.? Marisa wasn?t given time to explain things after the battle. Reimu hadn?t looked at her as she was led away. ?They?re probably stretching her out on the rack as we speak.? Alice shrugged, then looked back at the torii gate, deep in thought. The sun was starting to set. ?Marisa.? ?Yeah?? ?What are you going to do if Reimu doesn?t come back?? The trees shook. A bird sang its evening call. ?I?ll go up there and get her back myself.? Alice laughed. ?Well, good luck with that.? She picked up her grimoire and stood up. ?I?m going home. Coming?? ?Nah, I?ll stay here a bit longer.? ?Suit yourself.? And Alice began walking down the path, not turning back. Once she was gone, Marisa stared up at the sky. The Moon had been out all day, and it was finally starting to glow. She covered her lips with one hand, and lowered the brim of her hat. The End

hungrybookworm: More ReiMari! Drizzle (AO3 Mirror) She heard the rain before she saw it. She could tell it was coming from the way the trees rustled; from the soft roar in the near distance. It was a lukewarm spring day, cloudy and damp, and finally the atmosphere had given way. Reimu covered her head and ducked inside the shrine, clutching her broom. Moments later she was sitting in the main room, nursing a steaming hot cup of tea and watching brown pinpricks of rain covering the porch. The roof rumbled. The scenery outside blurred. For a moment the scent of vegetation and wet earth became overwhelming, amplified by the humidity. And almost as quickly as it came, the rain thinned into drizzle, the grass glittering with puddles. The visible sky was still a deep grey. Reimu sipped her drink, wondering whether to go back outside. It wasn?t like she had anything pressing to do. On days like this it was rare for her to get any visitors at all, let alone worshippers from the Human Village. Everyone wanted to stay indoors if possible. She could probably close the shrine for the day and it wouldn?t make a difference. It wasn?t like she got many visitors anyway. Sometimes Reimu wondered what the point was. She placed her cup back on the table, and tried to think of something to do. Training was out of the question (she wasn?t that bored) but Reimu had finished most of the chores that morning. She glanced around the room, hoping to find a stray cobweb, but her eyes settled on the wall opposite. Behind it was the hall of worship. Of course, that was always an option, but Reimu couldn?t see why this time would be any different. The Hakurei god never said anything. Trying to communicate with it was hopeless. Oh she knew it was there. She could feel it residing in her whenever she performed her kagura dance, and the faint spiritual energy lurking around the building made it obvious it was occupied, but the god gave no hints to its true identity, its blessings, or even its opinions on how Reimu ran the shrine. All she had to go on was the surrounding architecture and the yin-yang orbs that lived in the sanctuary. Maybe it was for the best; Reimu would hate to be bossed around all day by an irate god. She valued peace and quiet. She thought of the Moriya shrine. Sanae had invited her up just last week, and the difference between them couldn?t have been more obvious. There was a small, but steady stream of tengu and kappa visiting throughout the day, and once Suwako was lured out by the promise of booze they had a fun, fiery conversation about Shinto practices and danmaku. Reimu flew home before sunset, slightly tipsy and wondering if her own god referred to her as ?my Reimu?. (Probably not. She doubted her god had anything nice to say about her. Just as well it never spoke.) A strong breeze blew cold, wet air into the main room. The rain was intensifying again, and Reimu felt strangely sad. She shouldn?t think about the Moriya shrine; it always left her wistful. She put her cup back on the table and let herself fall sideways onto the tatami mats, staring at the ceiling as though willing it to leak, to give her something to do. Where was Marisa at a time like this? The tatami mats crackled slightly as she rolled over. Marisa hated flying in the rain. Reimu didn?t enjoy it much either, and technically speaking you weren?t supposed to go up if there was a chance of lighting, but Marisa seemed perfectly fine flying to the shrine in most weather. It was going back home that seemed to be the problem. At the smallest raindrop Marisa would always sigh, shake her head and say, ?Guess I?m staying over tonight.? These days she even carried a toothbrush and a change of underwear with her. ?I sleep over at Alice?s sometimes too,? Marisa had protested when asked about it. ?And I?ve been stranded at Kourindou and Patchouli?s place in the past. I?m just being prepared.? She should bring a blanket and pillow with her too; sleeping on the tatami every time couldn?t be that comfortable. Reimu wondered if she should buy a second futon, but it felt like she?d be admitting to something if she did. She could never work out whether she actually liked having Marisa around all the time. At first she?d found her really, really annoying. Some brat who dragged her left, right and centre for a bit of training, then pestered her with endless questions on how everything worked. What were those weird black and white balls? What about that funny stick? How many youkai did she fight every week? She?d follow Reimu around on extermination missions, and sometimes beat her to the culprit. It was infuriating. And yet, somehow Marisa ended up being one of the few people she could relax around. As time passed and her hero worship of Reimu cooled, Marisa became just another friend who came round to drink tea, albeit a more welcome one than the endless supply of youkai eager to tease her and scare humans away from the shrine. Oh she was still annoying, though significantly less so than before, and Reimu always seemed to be missing one or two items after Marisa went home, but she had no desire to chase her away. Originally they?d have a danmaku duel or two, then chat for half an hour before Marisa headed elsewhere. But these days they spent less time playing and far more time talking. They never seemed to run out of topics: the weather, local gossip, anecdotes, silly folklore titbits, weird danmaku ideas, the odd moneymaking scheme... then before they knew it the sun was setting, and Marisa was holding her broom and waving goodbye. Another day successfully wasted together. And once Marisa was gone, the shrine always felt larger, quieter, even more empty than it did before. Reimu would put the tea set away and wash up plates, then if it was dark enough she would begin closing up the shrine for the night. She?d lie in her futon, listening to the crickets chirp outside. The moonlight left grid patterns on the floor. She?d stare at nothing until sleep came. Marisa made socialising look so easy it was unfair. Reimu had power, could beat up any youkai who looked at her funny, but could never get further than an awkward silence with other humans her age. A few had tried, had made an effort to invite her to parties and talk to her in the street, but it rarely went anywhere. The girls just wanted to complain and talk about boys, and the boys just wanted to show off. At gatherings they would all laugh and gossip about people in the village, or events Reimu didn?t participate in, and make plans amongst themselves. Reimu would excuse herself and head home early, back to her half-deserted shrine where Suika might be lying in a drunken stupor right in front of the donation box, or Yukari might have stolen the buns she was saving for dinner, or Kasen might be waiting to nag her about some part of her shrine maiden duty she was failing at. But Marisa would come the next day with some cake from Alice?s place, or a pile of books from the Scarlet Devil Mansion, or some wacky contraption she grabbed at a kappa bazaar, and Reimu would wonder why she didn?t just spend all day with Alice and Patchouli and Nitori. Why she always came back to her miserable shrine, time and time again. If things were different, if Marisa had been born a Hakurei, then the god would definitely talk to her. Reimu was sure of it. A part of her wanted to try teaching Marisa a few shrine maiden skills just to see if it?d happen, but the other part of her knew she?d regret it. Marisa?s progress made her feel incompetent sometimes. (Of course, if it bothered her that much, then Reimu knew she should just train more. Marisa made it clear that she thought power was everything, but for Reimu power was just another part of her job. Training for the sake of it was a waste of time.) Reimu rolled over again and gazed at the trees outside. Everything seemed darker, richer, more interesting. She briefly thought about going back out, just to wander around, but her mind was still on Marisa. How nice she always looked when she smiled. How her blonde hair puffed up in light rain. How she always invited loads of people to the shrine parties, and sat next to Reimu at dinners. Even though she had so many friends, so many other people she could devote her time to, Marisa was always coming over, throwing water in her face when she thought the shrine was on fire and finding reasons to stay over and make a nuisance of herself. Reimu had seen a second futon on sale in the Human Village just yesterday, and it was discounted. She could have bought it. Reimu groaned and covered her face with her hands. The first night Marisa stayed over had been a torrential downpour. Reimu could remember hearing the drainpipes gurgling, worrying that they might overflow. Marisa had been sitting opposite her, staring at the curtain of rain with a conflicted look on her face. ?I only have one futon, you know,? Reimu had said, in the hope that it might push her one way or the other. ?Will you be alright on the floor?? Marisa grinned, and Reimu nearly kicked her. In the end Marisa fell asleep on the other side of the room, and Reimu lay awake trying not to listen to her breathing. The next morning Marisa made breakfast, and they carried on like they always did. Reimu doubted either of them expected it to become a habit. She should have bought that futon. No, enough. Reimu sat up and smoothed down her hair. She had to find something to do. Anything. Once her inner monologue got going, all kinds of uncomfortable truths got dragged into the open. Yesterday afternoon Marisa had shown up with dumplings, and they?d shared them while lamenting the brown, crumbly piles of mush that used to be the cherry blossom. At one point Reimu had passed her a cup of freshly brewed tea, and their hands touched for barely a second. Outside the weather stayed cloudy, and as Marisa left Reimu bit back the urge to ask her to stay. That night all she could think about was touching her hand, kissing her cheek. But no. No no no. Having her as a friend was complicated enough. Time to find something to do. It was still raining outside, but so what? Donations. Yes, Reimu should check the donation box. She got up and stepped outside. She was out for barely ten seconds, but the drizzle soaked her clothes, spraying raindrops on her neck and shoulders. The sun stayed hidden until evening.

Tengukami: Man, I am really enjoying Existential Crisis Reimu. Her whole purpose at her shrine, her relationship with her god (by itself a topic really worth exploring) and her comparing her shrine to Moriya's would seem like an examination of Reimu As Shrine Maiden. But her reflecting on Marisa's sociability shows us there's something else going on here; that this is more Reimu trying to get closer to her identity than her profession, which she seems to get are not one and the same. I think the pacing could be tightened up a bit, but apart from that, this is a very promising exploration of some pretty big implications. I look forward to more!

hungrybookworm: The hardest part of this fic was keeping Reimu's train of thought going in the direction I wanted it to, while also keeping it natural, so I wouldn't be surprised if the pacing's a bit looser than it should be. I'm glad you liked it though, thank you!

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