~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library

In the Brilliant Light of Day [Complete] - DDC Novel Length Fanfic (+pics!)

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hungrybookworm:

The novel length, sinful ddc fic is finally ready to go. Make sure you check the tags in the image above (or click on the AO3 mirror below to view them) before reading. But first, a few disclaimers. Because this fic needs disclaimers, lol.


* This story is based on touhou canon as of late 2015, with about ten million headcanons thrown in for good measure. Some of the stuff I've made up will probably be contradicted by canon in the future, so keep that in mind!
* This fic was written for a mature audience. There's sex scenes, there's bloodshed, there's corruption, and all kinds of alarming things that'd probably make ZUN cry if he ever read it. It never gets extreme or anything (imo), but if you're easily upset, or prefer your touhous cute and fluffy, then you should probably sit this one out.
* I've tagged all of the 'worst' things in the fic (the dubcon, mainly), but I haven't tagged everything. Again, if you're easily upset, etc etc. If you read RabbitEclair/UnmovingGreatLibrary's excellent fanfic "Eyes in the Dark" on AO3 recently, then you should be able to handle this fic just fine.
* The sex scenes are nsfw, but they're the kind of nsfw you'd find in a general fiction novel (hence why the fic's rated 'M' not 'E'). Letters to Penthouse this ain't. Since nsfw fic isn't allowed on MotK, I'll be linking to the AO3 version of those chapters instead. The sex scenes are plot critical, so you can't skip them.
* Huge props to Bear (amemenojaku.tumblr.com) for drawing so many amazing pictures for the fic. Note that some of the pictures depict blood and mild injury detail, but most of them are just really sinful. It matches the text!
There'll be a new chapter posted every Sunday and Wednesday! Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Chapter 1
(AO3 Mirror)

Shinmyoumaru Sukuna had never seen natural light.

She?d read about it in books, of course. The sun crossed the sky during the day, and its light poured down to the earth below, warming the soil and making the crops grow. And at night the moon took its place, adding soft silver light to the nightscape. Humans adored the sun. Youkai worshipped the moon. Both were fantastical objects that hung in an ever-changing sky.

But for the inchling race, the sun and the moon belonged in thick, dusty scrolls, along with Issun Boushi and his Miracle Mallet. Their home, the World of Oni, sat in perpetual darkness in a vast underground cavern, the difference between ?day? and ?night? dictated by the bells ringing from the temples. The light glowing from the houses and taverns cobbled together in the centre never went out. The oni?s banquets continued at all hours, and their jeers and drunken cries echoed off the cavern roof. They didn?t seem sad that there was no moon in the sky, nor a sun to warm their backs.

But oni were different to inchlings.

Shinmyoumaru thought about the sun as she stood in Mamesuke Square ? a wide patch of rock hidden behind a disused well. During the day the square was a bustling inchling marketplace, full of food and fabric and metal. At night, it became the rendezvous point for scavenger teams: the brave people inchling society relied on for resources. The place was packed, and Shinmyoumaru struggled to move without elbowing someone in the face. There were the teams clustered together, going over tactics. Carts and crates were being carried around ready for tonight?s findings, and the scavengers? families ? husbands, wives and children ? lingered on the outskirts, afraid of leaving in case they never saw their loved ones again.

If the World of Oni had a sun, maybe the inchlings could grow their own food, and keep animals, and live happy lives without anyone having to die. Shinmyoumaru hoped she wouldn?t be around when the parties returned. She didn?t want to see the children crying.

She grimaced at the thought, and pulled her hood lower, hoping to cover her face. Shinmyoumaru had never visited the square alone, and not while it was so crowded. Someone might recognise her if she stuck around for too long, and who knows what would happen then. She had to find who she was looking for, then get out as fast as possible.

Shinmyoumaru saw four royal guards across the sea of people, arms crossed as they kept an eye on the crowd. They each wore thin tin armour, a bowl for a helmet, and held a sharpened chopstick as a weapon. Shinmyoumaru didn?t recognise any of them, but she smiled none-the-less. The guards would have the answers she needed.

It took a few minutes to make her way over, and once she was there she wasted no time. ?Excuse me,? she said, louder than she ordinarily would in case they couldn?t hear her over the clamour. ?I need to talk to my father and mother.?

?Are you lost?? asked one of the guards. The others didn?t look at her. ?What do your mum and dad look like??

Shinmyoumaru couldn?t blame them. It?d been nine years since she?d left the royal palace, and she looked young for her age. She threw back her hood, hoping her appearance would ring a few bells. ?I?m Shinmyoumaru Sukuna,? she declared, ?fifth daughter and seventh child of the current king and queen. I?ve been living away from the palace for the last few years, and in light of recent events I seek an audience with them.? She?d practiced the speech beforehand, and felt satisfied with how she?d delivered it.

This time the guards all turned to look at her. The one who spoke to her snorted with laughter, covering his face with a large hand. A guard on the far left, an older inchling with fuzzy grey hair, looked alarmed.

Shinmyoumaru continued. ?My aunt, Kikyou Hikona, has passed away in tragic circumstances, and our household can no longer support itself. So I was hoping for-?

?Excuse me.? The older guard stepped forward, and gripped her upper arm. ?Please come with me.?

?Ah, wait!? Shinmyoumaru hadn?t expected this. ?You can?t just grab my arm, I?m royalty!? But he ignored her protests, and led her away from the other guards, around the other side of the well.

?Listen to me,? he snapped. ?I don?t know what this aunt of yours told you, but you?re a fool if you think you can go around telling people you?re Shinmyoumaru Sukuna.?

It was true. Her aunt had warned her to never reveal her name, or linger outside their mansion for long. But her aunt was dead now, and had been for several months. Shinmyoumaru needed to talk to her parents about it. ?Why not? That?s who I am!?

?If you have any sense, you?ll leave this place and go back to your aunt?s house. Don?t approach any guards and ask them to lead you to the palace. They?ll think you?re a crook trying to get in and cause havoc.?

Maybe he didn?t realise who she was. She wasn?t the most recognisable princess in the kingdom. ?But if my father and mother saw me, they?d know-?

?Do you have any idea how many desperate people there are in this world? Look behind you. See all those people in the square?? He gestured with his spear. ?Most of them are hungry. They?re willing to risk death is it means more food. A lot of them have lost friends and relatives to keep our society going. Some of them are bitter enough to try and get revenge. Get what I mean? For all us guards know, Your Highness, you might be yet another murderer claiming to be related to the royals, so you and your friends can assassinate them once you know where the palace is.?

?But I?m not! I?m Shinmyoumaru Sukuna!? She was horrified by the thought. ?Please, I need to speak to them! As soon as they see me, they?ll know who I am, really!?

?Like I said, if you have any sense,? said the guard, ?you will turn around and return home, and not try something like this again. If you?re who you say you are, and your father and mother wish to see you, they?ll come and visit your house. Don?t approach any guards, and don?t try and find out the palace?s location by yourself. And whatever you do, don?t tell anyone else that you?re Shinmyoumaru Sukuna. You?ll be arrested, or executed on the spot. Understand?? He jabbed a finger at her. ?I don?t want to see you here again. I?m going to tell the others you were confused and I dealt with you. Now go home.?

Shinmyoumaru tried to respond, but the guard had already turned his back on her. He disappeared behind the well, returning to his post. Unbelievable. How could he speak to her like that, and ignore her request? That was unbelievably rude! She wanted to stamp her foot and have him punished for insolence, and maybe she would have a year earlier. But things were different now, and all she could do was stand still and feel pathetic.

*****
When Shinmyoumaru was ten years old, her days playing with her siblings amongst beautifully painted shouji screens were cut short when her nanny woke her up in the middle of the night. ?Wake up and get dressed, Your Highness. Quickly, and don?t make a sound!? She was dressed, handed a small bag, then led outside through the servant?s entrance. There was a rickshaw waiting for her, and her mother ? the queen ? was standing beside it in her night clothes. She rushed forward, and gave Shinmyoumaru a tight hug.

?Listen, I know this is sudden,? said her mother, in that gentle, calm voice Shinmyoumaru loved so much, ?but you?re going to stay with your aunt for a while. She lives in a big mansion on the other side of the kingdom, and makes beautiful clothes that everyone loves. She?s going to teach you how to sew. You?d like that, wouldn?t you, Shinmyoumaru??

Shinmyoumaru was delighted. She loved sewing, and often made little outfits for her dolls.

?You?ll be with her for a while, all by yourself, so you mustn?t cause any trouble. I?ll come and get you once it?s time for you to come home, okay? So be a brave girl and behave. Promise??

?Of course,? said Shinmyoumaru, with a big smile on her face. The thought of being by herself with this unknown aunt (an aunt! She didn?t even know she had an aunt!) was a bit scary, but it felt exciting at the same time. Her mother hugged her again, then Shinmyoumaru was lifted onto the rickshaw with a servant, and they set off. She waved until the palace was out of sight.

The servant didn?t say anything for the whole trip, and despite the rickshaw?s shakes and bumps, Shinmyoumaru quickly fell back to sleep. When she woke up, they?d already arrived at her aunt?s mansion. It was made of two large wooden crates, and had a fence made of shoelaces around the perimeter. Two servants came out to meet them, and Shinmyoumaru was invited inside.

Her aunt Kikyou was an imposing woman: tall for an inchling, with long hair and cold black eyes. Shinmyoumaru thought she looked strict, and felt afraid. She wanted to be back in her familiar room, with her kind nanny and brothers and sisters, but the rickshaw had already left. She couldn?t go back to the palace. At her aunt?s command, Shinmyoumaru?s bag was carried to her new room, and Shinmyoumaru was put to bed in an unfamiliar futon.

And so began her new life at the mansion.

Aunt Kikyou was a woman of few words. She rarely spoke to her servants, and they all seemed to know what she wanted anyway. They would appear with the food she wanted at mealtimes, and have her outdoor clothes ready when she stood up for a walk. The only time Shinmyoumaru heard her aunt say more than a few brisk sentences was during their lessons together. Back at the palace, Shinmyoumaru had taken lessons with a wide variety of tutors alongside her brothers and sisters, but here Aunt Kikyou taught her everything by herself, from Japanese reading and writing, to mathematics and the recent history of the inchling race. She even taught Shinmyoumaru practical things, like diplomacy and how to defend herself. She gave Shinmyoumaru her own needle sword, and instructed her in the rock garden behind the mansion. After lessons, Shinmyoumaru would be allowed an hour or two to herself while her aunt met with clients and business partners. She usually spent this time reading, or practising her swordsmanship outside. Then in the evenings, they would sew together.


This was Shinmyoumaru?s favourite time of the day. They would sit opposite each other, with a huge bundle of cloth between them, and work on commissioned outfits. Aunt Kikyou made clothes for a lot of rich people in inchling society, and there was always something new to design, or alterations to be made. They created everything from funeral clothes to fashionaaabluh furisode, to shiromuku wedding kimono and baby clothes. Her aunt never told her the names of their clients, but Shinmyoumaru liked to pretend they were people she knew, like her mother, or one of her older sisters.

Shinmyoumaru made a big effort to be a brave girl, just like her mother wanted. Even when she felt home sick, or her aunt yelled at her for making a mistake, or she pricked her finger and got blood on the cloth, she never complained, and tried her best not to cry.

?We all have to start somewhere,? her aunt would occasionally mumble, and that was the closest she ever got to ?sorry?.

Years passed. Shinmyoumaru grew from a girl to a young woman. Her fencing improved, along with her embroidery, and her aunt started letting her take charge of a few outfits by herself. Her life in the royal palace felt like a lifetime ago, and Shinmyoumaru often wondered how everyone else was doing. How were her siblings getting on? Were any of them married yet? Maybe the oldest had children by now. The thought of being an aunt thrilled her. But there was never any word from the palace. No letters, no parcels, not even on her birthday. Shinmyoumaru could only imagine.

?Being in charge is a difficult job,? her aunt told her when she asked one day. ?Rest assured that you are in their thoughts.?

Previously Shinmyoumaru had never been allowed beyond the mansion grounds. The furthest she could go was the rock garden, where she would pass the time while her aunt was away. But when Shinmyoumaru turned eighteen, her aunt began letting her ride in the rickshaw with her. She had to be dressed in an oversized cloak, and was ordered to never talk to anyone, to never make eye contact with strangers, and to never leave her aunt?s side. Shinmyoumaru obeyed those rules, and in return was granted a tour of the inchling kingdom every weekend.

?This is where we get our food,? her aunt whispered as they passed Mamesuke Square for the first time. There was a busy market, full of colourful stalls and people browsing. Shinmyoumaru gasped with delight. ?A servant visits every Friday and buys it for us.?

?Can I go with them?? she asked, wanting a closer look at the market.

?Absolutely not. It?s too dangerous.?

Shinmyoumaru noticed two rough-looking inchling men fighting over a large scrap of meat near the road, and physically recoiled. Her aunt placed a hand on her arm, and the rickshaw rolled back to the road.

*****
Her aunt died a month after Shinmyoumaru?s nineteenth birthday.

There was nothing unusual about that day. Shinmyoumaru was working on a particularly complicated kimono, and wanted to dedicate her free time to redoing the sash. Her aunt rode in the rickshaw by herself that afternoon, accompanied by a few servants. She came back in a box. An oni had trodden on the rickshaw, and crushed her.

Most inchlings died that way. It was nothing unusual. The inchling kingdom was stretched across the World of Oni, hidden in cracks and uninhabited corners. It wasn?t uncommon for a drunk oni to stumble into an inchling area, and cause chaos. There were always casualties. The lucky got trodden on and killed instantly. The unlucky suffered horribly until a royal guard found them and put them out of their misery.

But Aunt Kikyou was a noble. She was supposed to be above such a cruel death. Shinmyoumaru?s whole world turned upside down. Distraught, she locked herself in her bedroom, and did nothing but sew and sleep for several months. She finished all the kimonos they were commissioned to make, then made her own out of the leftover fabric. Servants would come into her room with food, then beg her to take charge of the household. Shinmyoumaru had no idea what they meant by that. She didn?t want to leave her room, let alone the safety of the mansion.

She had nightmares every night about a huge, horrible foot stomping down on her, and her aunt?s disfigured body lying amongst the shattered rickshaw. Her dark eyes lacked life, and the bright red blood matted her hair. Shinmyoumaru hadn?t been allowed to see the interior of the box, so her subconscious kindly filled in the blanks, producing an image far nastier than reality could. Shinmyoumaru began to dread night time, but any attempts she made to stay awake always ended with her collapsing, or dozing off in the bath.

Time passed. When Shinmyoumaru finally felt brave enough to leave her room, she found the mansion falling apart. The servants were nowhere to be seen, and neither were the valuables nor most of the food in the larder. Everything had a thin layer of dust on it, and the clocks had stopped at random times.

Why did the servants run away and leave her? She?d known some of them for years and years. Didn?t they care about her? It took Shinmyoumaru a few hours to realise why: the servants were being paid to wait on her. It had never occurred to her before, and why would it? No one had ever told her. There was no money coming into the mansion, so they?d cut their losses and left, taking a few things along with them. When they told Shinmyoumaru to take charge of the household, they must have been asking her to earn money to pay them.

Shinmyoumaru stared at the empty rooms, and wondered what to do now.

*****
In the end, she decided to go find her parents. Shinmyoumaru had been too upset to go to her aunt?s funeral, and had no idea if the royal family had made any effort to contact her. It was faster if she learnt where they were, and visited them directly. She dressed modestly, with as many layers she could put on herself, and wore the same large cloak as always. She?d spent the last few months too terrified to leave her room, so going outside the mansion brought a whole new level of fear. But she had to be brave. After an hour, she persuaded herself to leave the front door. Then she took things slowly, one step at a time.

But in the end, no one would tell her where the palace was. The guard at Mamesuke Square sent her away with a bizarre warning, leaving Shinmyoumaru with even more questions than before. She returned to the mansion in tears, and sat in the hallway by herself until they stopped. There was no one left inside to hear her, let alone comfort her.

But this was no time for crying. She had to make the best of things, and be the brave girl her mother wanted her to be.

So Shinmyoumaru wiped her eyes, and pulled herself upright. Her stomach gurgled. It?d been a while since she?d last had a meal. Maybe there was something in the larder she could eat? Shinmyoumaru walked over to the kitchen, stepped into the storeroom and rummaged through the jars. She had no idea how to cook, and most of the leftover food looked brittle and dry. Was it edible? Only one way to find out. Shinmyoumaru chomped down on a large flake of something, and forced herself to chew. It was tough and flavourless, and hard to swallow.

How long could she keep this up for?

There was no one to wind the clocks, so Shinmyoumaru had no idea what time it was. If she hadn?t gone down to the square earlier she wouldn?t have even known it was evening. The World of Oni was dark at all hours. For some reason this felt like the most terrible thing of all. Shinmyoumaru didn?t even know when to go to sleep or wake up anymore.

But she needed to think. The clocks weren?t moving, so she had all the time in the world.

Her legs moved by themselves. She walked out of the storeroom, back through the kitchen, then into the corridor. Soon she was outside, in the rock garden. The beautiful swirls in the gravel barely held their shape now, and a few of the boulders had been dislodged. The fence made of shoelaces sagged. Shinmyoumaru sat on a boulder, and gazed at the garden. Once, in celebration of a particularly large order of clothes, her aunt had held a private picnic. They?d sat in the centre of the rock garden, using a scrap of cloth from an oni?s skirt as a sheet, and chatted. The servants had carried over dish after dish, and laid out each plate in front of them: soft rice grains, breadcrumbs, chunks of fruit the size of their fists, and a long, fat udon noodle that had to be cut up. A mouth-watering feast. She could still remember the elegant way her aunt had used her chopsticks, and how cleanly she ate.

She thought of her aunt?s mangled body in the box, and shuddered. No, she had to be strong. She wouldn?t let her happiest memories get twisted like that. Shinmyoumaru took a deep breath, and let her head rest in her hands.

When she looked up, she saw a letter poking out from underneath one of the boulders.

It couldn?t have been there for long. Shinmyoumaru was sure she would have noticed something like that. But there was no way anyone had entered the garden just now. They would?ve needed to come in through the entrance behind her, or climb over the fence. Cautiously, she stood, and picked up the letter. It was addressed to her, in handwriting she didn?t recognise.

To Her Royal Highness, Princess Shinmyoumaru Sukuna,
   I am writing to inform you that I have very important information regarding the history of the inchling race. I wish to discuss it with you face-to-face. Please meet me at the place you found this letter when the bells strike five times tomorrow evening. You may bring guards or servants if you wish. I can assure you, however, that I mean you no harm.

They wanted to meet her here? Shinmyoumaru glanced around again, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sender. But even if they had been in the rock garden earlier, they weren?t there now. She turned the letter over, wondering if it continued on the other side, but the page was blank. The sender had left no signature, or any hint to their identity.

The paper felt crisp, and the ink looked fresh. There were no obvious signs of wear and tear. The letter genuinely couldn?t have been there for long.

?Don?t be stupid,? Shinmyoumaru muttered to herself. Everything was moving too fast. She needed to lie down for a bit and think through her options. Sleep felt like a good idea, so she went indoors. She checked every room in the mansion, just in case, half expecting the sender to leap out from behind the shouji screen every time she slid open a door. But she was alone in the mansion. Her needle sword felt heavy on her back, and her bare feet ached.

*****
Shinmyoumaru knew what to do as soon as she woke up. She spent the morning tidying up the mansion, and locking it up the best she could. Then once her gut feeling told her it was late afternoon, Shinmyoumaru sat in the rock garden, and waited. She?d hidden her hair under a simple bowl helmet, and wore the same cloak as yesterday. She held a needle sword in her right hand, her only ally left in the mansion. In the distance she could hear the oni taverns, the shouts and yells of drunks, and the constant murmur of voices. It?d never occurred to Shinmyoumaru before that an oni could stumble across the mansion at any moment. One kick and that would be it. They?d been living on borrowed time and she?d never noticed.

Footsteps. Someone was coming. Shinmyoumaru?s hand touched the hilt of her sword, just in case. She heard someone climb over the fence, then a figure appeared from behind the mansion. It was a man with hollow cheeks, wearing a long battered cloak. Shinmyoumaru didn?t recognise him, and gripped the sword hilt as tight as she could.

?Who are you?? she snapped. ?State your name!?

?Princess Shinmyoumaru Sukuna, I presume?? His voice revealed his age, and Shinmyoumaru realised he was no older than she was. ?I take it you read the letter.?

?I did, now your name, please.?

He shook his head. ?My name isn?t important. I?m working on behalf of someone. They?re the person who wants to see you.?

He didn?t seem even remotely afraid of her. Shinmyoumaru glared at him, and considered raising her sword. ?Then tell me their name instead.?

?It would be faster for you to meet them.? He sighed. ?We need to go to Mamesuke Square. Do you know where that is??

He was just as vague as the guards yesterday. The lack of answers annoyed her, but she couldn?t sense any threat coming from him. The man seemed tired, like he wanted to get the whole thing over with. She brushed down her cloak. ?I know where that is, yes.?

?Then assuming you?re interested in what they have to say, please follow me.? He turned, and started walking back to the fence. Shinmyoumaru hesitated, then with a quick glance at the mansion, followed after him.

She expected them to take a rickshaw, but instead they walked. The man occasionally glanced back, to make sure she was still following him. Aunt Kikyou would?ve been furious, knowing she?d revealed herself to a stranger, and was now following him because she didn?t know what else to do. Shinmyoumaru knew she was completely mad for even considering this, but her gut feeling told her to keep walking. She?d thought long and hard about what to do that morning, and seeing what the sender had to say was the only concrete option she had. Shinmyoumaru had a lot of confidence in her sword technique, and figured she could cut down anyone who tried to hurt her. If the sender turned out to be a criminal, she wouldn?t hold back.

?I wouldn?t be a good kidnapping victim,? she said to the stranger, just so he knew. ?There are lots of other princesses to replace me, so my family won?t pay a ransom.?

?No one?s going to get kidnapped,? said the stranger, firmly.

They reached the square at the height of chaos. The scavenger teams were about to leave, and inchlings of all ages were packed into every available space. The stranger stopped at the edge of the square, and turned to her. ?I?m going to tell you now, because this?ll be your last chance to back out. The person we?re meeting is a big person.?

Shinmyoumaru squeaked, and covered her mouth. ?An oni!??

?They don?t mean you any harm, I can guarantee that. We?re going to tag along with one of the scavenger teams, for safety reasons, then I?ll lead you over to them. They only want an hour or so of your time, then I can take you back to your mansion.?

That explained a lot. Of course a big person couldn?t just stroll over to the mansion and talk to Shinmyoumaru there. Well, they could?ve, since it was just Shinmyoumaru living in it now, but they probably didn?t know that. She looked over the crowds, and realised how tense everyone in the square was. If the scavengers, all ordinary people, could go out and do something as terrifying as steal food off big people, then couldn?t she, an inchling princess, go talk to one?

She?d already come this far. Turning back wasn?t an option. ?All right,? she said, ?but as soon as they?re done talking to me, I?m leaving. Understand??

The stranger nodded, lifted up his hood, and beckoned. Shinmyoumaru followed him, squeezing through the crowd. Nobody yelled or protested, and moments later there was an unmistakable surge of movement as the teams began to head out. A woman was crying far at the back. A group to the left were shouting good luck. The people in front of her drew their weapons. Shinmyoumaru lifted her needle sword, not wanting to look out of place.

The stranger stayed closed to her. Some of the people around her were chatting and joking, used to this, but luckily there were just as many saying nothing, focusing on the mission ahead. Soon they were out of the square, and ducking underneath a large rock ledge. Then the crowd split, each team going their own direction. The stranger tugged Shinmyoumaru?s cloak, and they followed the group going left. The light around them was getting brighter. She heard low, booming voices up ahead.

Then suddenly, they were in oni territory. They stood inside a dry sewage gutter, and hundreds and hundreds of towering oni were walking past. Shinmyoumaru covered her mouth, afraid she?d scream. One of them stepped extremely close, the foot pounding down with the force of a rockslide. Her aunt hadn?t stood a chance.

The stranger was yanking on her cloak again. ?Hurry up!? She?d frozen in place. Shinmyoumaru regretted coming out. She wanted to turn back and run home, but that wasn?t an option. The scavenger team was edging along the kerb, sticking to the shadows. Shinmyoumaru copied them, afraid her heart was pounding so fast it?d give them away. What would happen if the oni saw them? Would they be stomped on? Eaten?

After what seemed like an eternity, the people in front of her turned left again, and they emerged from the gutter into a quiet alleyway. There were no oni in sight, and Shinmyoumaru let herself relax.

The stranger turned to her again. ?We?re splitting off here,? he whispered. ?Follow me.?

He left the safety of the shadows, and dashed out into the alleyway. It looked suicidal, but none of the other scavengers seemed to notice. Shinmyoumaru gathered her courage, and followed him. She felt her hair come loose beneath her helmet, and tumble down her back. They dashed behind a large crate, and moments later a group of three oni stumbled into view, clearly drunk. They cheered, and sang, and swaggered around in unpredictable movements. Shinmyoumaru glared at them. The oni weren?t looking at the ground. An inchling could die in seconds and they wouldn?t notice.

?We?re nearly there,? said the stranger, impatient. They walked behind the crate, then down another alleyway, this one too slim for an oni to enter. It opened into a wider waste area a few minutes later. There were chunks of wood piled up everywhere, and black dust that Shinmyoumaru assumed was ash.

There was a big person sitting on one of the wood piles. They wore a cloak, a big tattered thing that barely hung together, and the upper part of their face was hidden by the hood. A gold bracelet gleamed on one wrist, and an old pair of sandals hung off their feet. Shinmyoumaru braced herself. She could already imagine those sandals stomping on her.

?I brought her,? yelled the stranger, ?just like you asked!?

The cloaked figure smiled. ?Princess Shinmyoumaru Sukuna??

She shouldn?t have come here. Fear overcame Shinmyoumaru, and she took a step back. She held her needle sword out in front of her, her hands shaking too hard to hold it straight.


?Now now, don?t be afraid,? said the big person, ?I?m not here to cause you harm. Quite the opposite, in fact.?

Their voice was surprisingly girlish. Shinmyoumaru realised the big person was a woman, and calmed down a little. ?I?m? I?m here now. What do you want??

The figure pulled back her hood. Her black hair was flecked with white and red streaks, and two small ivory horns poked out on either side. A female youkai of some kind, most likely an oni. She looked down at Shinmyoumaru with a bright, cunning smile. ?I am here to make you an offer, Your Highness.? She bowed politely. ?One that I hope you will consider, and ultimately accept.?

Shinmyoumaru listened.

And the needle sword fell from her hands, and clattered to the ground.

hungrybookworm:

Chapter 2
(AO3 Mirror)

There was something about Shinmyoumaru?s history lessons that always bothered her. Neither her tutors in the palace, nor her aunt in their one-on-one sessions, covered anything past the last few hundred years. The inchling?s history had been lost a long time ago, so lessons were dedicated to information borrowed from the oni, and a handful of folklore tales featuring Issun Boushi. Time left over covered recent inchling history ? the actions of her grandparents, and such.

Shinmyoumaru had always been full of questions. How did the inchlings end up in the World of Oni in the first place? What happened to Issun Boushi and his family after the folktale ended? But her aunt and tutors couldn?t answer. They had no idea.

And now, this big person she?d just met was filling in the blanks, recounting the lost history of the inchling race as though it was common knowledge.

?You know about Gensokyo, right? The youkai paradise above ground? The inchling race used to live there too, with all the tengu and kappa and ghosts, surrounded by green vegetation and fresh clean air. But the inchlings were teeny-tiny compared to everyone else. They were weak! The youkai of Gensokyo took advantage of that and did whatever they wanted to them. They crushed them, pulled on their limbs like flower petals, roasted them over a fire on skewers, all kind of horrible things! And no one stood up for them, because no one cared about them. Not one stinking youkai in the whole place felt like defending them. So the inchlings ran away to the World of Oni, where they could live a life free of persecution. But as you?ve seen for yourself, Your Highness, the inchlings are no safer here. It?ll only take one drunk oni to find your palace and it?ll all be over: the building kicked down like a sandcastle, the whole lot of you trampled.?

?That?s? horrible.? Shinmyoumaru couldn?t believe what she was hearing. ?Why would Gensokyo?s youkai do something so cruel??

?Because they?re strong.? The big person curled her lip, disgusted. ?The strong can do whatever they want in this world. They stomp all over the weak.?

Her aunt?s face flashed through her mind, and Shinmyoumaru covered her face with one hand. This was all too much.

?But I?m fed up with it,? said the big person. ?I?m sick of them doing whatever they want. I want to create a world where the weak don?t have to fear the strong. I?m gonna turn Gensokyo?s society upside down. Flip it on its head and let all the youkai in Gensokyo know how it feels to be at the bottom for once!?

Shinmyoumaru understood. ??You?re going to start a revolution??

?That?s my plan. And I want you to join me.?

??Me? Why??

The big person jumped down, and knelt in front of Shinmyoumaru. She slowly reached out, and placed a fingertip on Shinmyoumaru?s helmet. Shinmyoumaru flinched, but she didn?t run away. Her legs were trembling too hard for her to move.

?Have you ever heard of the Miracle Mallet?? asked the big person.

Of course she had. ?Y-Yes, but? umm??

The finger lowered, and stroked Shinmyoumaru?s hair. Was she trying to sooth her? ?It exists. And I know where it is. We can change society using the power of miracles.?

If Shinmyoumaru hadn?t felt so terrified, she would?ve laughed. ?You can?t be serious.?

?I?m completely serious. Don?t believe me??

?You want me to use it??

?That?s right.?

Shinmyoumaru took a long, deep breath. ?Why me??

?Because only a descendant of Issun Boushi can use the Miracle Mallet.?

The fingertip continued stroking her hair. Shinmyoumaru looked up at the big person?s face, trying to find a hint of ill intent or maliciousness in there. The big person smiled back, and her red eyes narrowed. The man in the cloak was standing to the left, completely forgotten.

What would Shinmyoumaru do if she refused to help, and went back home? She?d be living alone in her mansion, with no food or help, fearing the day an oni found her, or some desperate inchlings broke in and kidnapped her. No, she could sew, couldn?t she? She could find her aunt?s old records and track down all her old clients. Offer the same service and spend her days making outfits. Once she earned enough money she could hire new servants, and everything would return to before. Wouldn?t it? Alternatively she could keep looking for the palace, this time more discretely. She was good with a sword, so maybe she could join the royal guards? Under a different name, of course. That was guaranteed to get her in contact with the royal family. And if everything else failed, she could always be a scavenger. It was a dangerous job, but it paid well, so if she survived for a year or two and didn?t spend the earnings?

Or, she could take up this big person?s mad offer, and go avenge all the pain and humiliation her people suffered. And maybe afterwards, the inchling people could live under the sun, and grow their own food, and never fear oni again.

?All right.? She couldn?t refuse. ?Take me to the Miracle Mallet. If it?s real, I?ll join you.?

The big person?s face lit up. ?Wonderful!? She lifted her finger away from Shinmyoumaru?s head, and turned back to the pile of wood. ?Glad to have you on board, Your Highness!? She pulled out a ceramic bowl, with a lid and a piece of string. ?It?s on the edge of the cavern, so we?ll have to walk quite far. I?ll need to carry you in here, for safety reasons.? She removed the lid, and lowered the bowl to Shinmyoumaru?s level.

Shinmyoumaru looked at the bowl suspiciously. But she wasn?t turning back now. She picked her needle sword up off the floor, and stepped into the bowl. The big person replaced the lid, and it became pitch black inside. Shinmyoumaru curled up into a ball, and felt the bowl shake as the big person tied the string around it, securing the lid in place.

?Listen.? The big person whispered into the bowl. ?I need to go take my helper back home, so I have to leave you here for a few minutes. He needs a nice long rest for all his hard work, I think you?ll agree. I?ve hidden you from view, so no-one will find you, don?t worry. I?ll be back in no time.?

?Okay,? said Shinmyoumaru. She felt the big person place the bowl down somewhere, then heard her walk away. The distant sound of the oni?s partying returned.

Her aunt would be livid. Here she was, inside a bowl (a perfect ceramic casket) putting her faith in someone she?d only met twenty minutes ago, who may or may not turn out to be an oni. Yes, she was stupid for agreeing to this, and she had absolutely no evidence that anyone would come back and get her ?in a few minutes?, but Shinmyoumaru didn?t have time for regrets. If she died here, then so be it. At least she tried.

After what felt like an eternity, she heard footsteps again. ?I?m back,? yelled the big person, and Shinmyoumaru felt relief rush through her. She could trust her after all. ?Sorry that took so long. We got lost.? The big person seemed to be in a good mood as she lifted the bowl up. ?Ready to go? The trip will take about an hour. Don?t worry, I won?t drop you!?

?I?d hope not!? yelled Shinmyoumaru from inside. She couldn?t help but smile, excited.

?Oh, and my apologies for being so rude.? The big person chuckled. ?My name is Seija Kijin.?

?And I?m Shinmyoumaru Sukuna, though? you already know that.?

Seija Kijin laughed again. Shinmyoumaru felt the bowl shift up and down, in a way that made her wonder if Seija was skipping. She glanced at her sword, making sure it was pointing away from her. Getting stabbed by accident would be a depressing way to go at this point.

They walked for quite a while, Seija chatting away to pass the time. She told Shinmyoumaru all about Gensokyo ? the various rivers and lakes and mountains, and the kinds of youkai that lived there. Seija never mentioned what species of youkai she was, so Shinmyoumaru assumed she was an oni that lived above ground. It felt rude to ask, somehow, and she didn?t think it mattered anyway.

Just as Shinmyoumaru started to feel queasy, she felt Seija come to a stop. ?We?re here.? The lid rattled, then came off. Bright light poured down, and Shinmyoumaru shielded her eyes with an arm.

The light was unlike anything she?d ever experienced before. A thin, delicate spotlight shone down from the ceiling, and made the cavern they were standing in glitter like gold dust. Shinmyoumaru scrunched up her eyes, and tried to see where the light came from.

?Never seen sunlight before?? asked Seija, amused. Her black hair glistened, and her horns were bone white. ?That hole leads to Gensokyo. That?s how I got in here.?

Sunlight! Shinmyoumaru couldn?t believe it. She reached out, and tried to touch it with a tiny hand. Seija moved the bowl closer to the spotlight to let her, and soon the light covered Shinmyoumaru.

?It?s warm.? Shinmyoumaru stared at her hands in disbelief. They looked so pale in the light, and her clothes so worn and tattered. ?It?s? amazing.?

?This part of the cave system is a natural chimney,? explained Seija. ?See that hole in the ceiling? It looks tiny from here, but it?s actually the size of a human house. But first, please look behind you, Your Highness.?

Shinmyoumaru turned around. There was a filthy white wall behind her, streaked with grey stains and black mould. To the left, she saw the rotten remains of a shouji screen. She frowned. It looked different to the huge buildings the oni lived in. ?Is that a house??

?It?s a castle,? explained Seija. ?It?s buried deep in here.? She started walking over to it, and Shinmyoumaru grasped the edge of the bowl, afraid of falling out. ?A big, magnificent castle. The mallet?s inside it. Would you like to look at it, Your Highness??

They were going inside? Shinmyoumaru stared at it for a little longer, and shivered. Then she nodded. ?Yes, yes I would.?

They went in through a window. It was unmistakably a castle inside, with a vast corridor wrapped around each large, rectangular room, and the flimsy remains of wall dividers sagging and rotting in the centre. The whole place stank of mould, and there was something odd about the ceiling. It seemed to have tatami mats pasted on it. Shinmyoumaru looked down at the floor, and saw several thick wooden beams stretched across at set intervals. Seija was striding over them, humming as she went.

?It?s upside down,? realised Shinmyoumaru.

?That?s right! The best castle in the world. I?ll show you where the mallet is.? The floor creaked, and Shinmyoumaru gripped the bowl edge again. The castle was clearly in need of refurbishment, and the floor didn?t look that sturdy. She half expected Seija?s sandals to punch a hole in it, and send them plummeting to their deaths.

But nothing like that happened. Seija stood under what looked like a staircase, and to Shinmyoumaru?s amazement, floated up through the hole in the ceiling, to the floor above.

?You can fly!?

?Everyone can fly,? said Seija, with a smug grin.

This room was wider and darker, and a battered wooden box sat on a rickety table in the centre. The box was plastered with dirty paper seals, and looked inconspicuous in the old, forgotten castle. Seija knelt before it, and brought the bowl close to the box.

?I can?t open it,? Seija explained. ?Only someone with Issun Boushi?s blood can do that.?

Shinmyoumaru looked at the paper seals, suddenly afraid. What if she couldn?t open it either? But she?d been told over and over as a child that the Sukuna family were the descendants of Issun Boushi himself. They wouldn?t lie to her.

?What do I do?? she asked, looking up at Seija.

?Try touching the seals first.? Seija?s smile looked strange in the light. Shinmyoumaru reached out, and placed a hand against one. The paper felt cold and slimy, and nothing about the seals changed. She glanced back at Seija, disappointed, but Seija was still smiling.

?Try tearing it,? she suggested, ?go on.?

She grasped the edge of one seal, and yanked at it. It fell apart in her hands, like the wet paper it was. She heard Seija laugh. ?That?s it! Don?t stop there! Rip more of it. Rip it all off!?

Shinmyoumaru clambered onto the box, and dug her fingernails into each seal, ripping and tearing as much as she could. Seija started clapping her hands, jumping around as each one came off. When the last seal fell away, she could barely contain her excitement. ?This is it! You?re the real deal! The real Issun Boushi descendant!? She scooped Shinmyoumaru up with both hands, and lifted her high into the air. ?I finally found you!?

Shinmyoumaru squeaked, and clung to Seija?s hand. But despite her fear, she laughed, caught up in the excitement. Seija?s smile stretched across her whole face, and her eyes were wide and bright. She looked really pretty, Shinmyoumaru thought.

For the first time in her life, Shinmyoumaru resented their height difference. She wished Seija wasn?t a big person, but an inchling too. Someone she could?ve met and been friends with in the past.

Seija lowered her to the ground, and began fiddling with the chest. It swung open, and she pulled out a large, intricately decorated mallet. Its red and gold paint gleamed, and the red string wrapped around its handle looked brand new. Both women gazed at it in awe.

?It?s real,? whispered Shinmyoumaru. ?It really exists??

?Of course it?s real. Everything?s real in Gensokyo.? Seija held out the mallet. ?Here you go, Your Highness. It?s all yours.?

Shinmyoumaru stared at it. The mallet?s handle was huge; she?d need both arms to grab it. Could she really change society with something she could barely hold upright? But she reached out nonetheless, and took it from Seija?s hands. A kick of magical energy rushed through her. Warm, bubbly happiness filled her tiny body, and she couldn?t help but laugh.

Seija was smiling too. They gazed at each other, delighted with their handiwork. And for the second time, Shinmyoumaru felt a pang of annoyance at their height difference. She wanted to rush forward and hug Seija, or clasp her hands and squeeze them.

I want to be bigger, she thought.

The mallet glowed.

?Why don?t you make a wish?? suggested Seija. ?Try it out. Don?t ask for anything stupid though. Or too big. Or? you know.?

Of course, what else was the Miracle Mallet for? Shinmyoumaru had the power of miracles in her arms. She raised the mallet up high, and yelled the first thing that came to mind: ?I wish I was bigger!?

Nothing happened. Maybe she was supposed to strike the thing she wanted to make bigger. But the mallet was massive. Wouldn?t it crush her if it fell on top of her?

It was a risk she was willing to take. She put the handle between her knees, grasped the head with both hands, and yelled again: ?I want to be bigger!? Then she pulled the head towards her, and let it touch her forehead.

There was a blinding flash of light, a loud, comical pop and suddenly everything shrank. Shinmyoumaru screamed, and stumbled backwards, disorientated. The mallet was smaller; it could fit in one hand now. The room was only slightly bigger than the main room back in her aunt?s mansion. Seija was no longer a giant, and stood opposite her, mouth wide open in amazement. She was still taller than Shinmyoumaru, but only by a head or so.

And she was beautiful. Shinmyoumaru could see it clearly now. Seija Kijin was absolutely stunning.

?It works,? said Seija, barely believing it herself. ?It actually works!? And before Shinmyoumaru could move, she rushed forward and embraced her. Shinmyoumaru laughed, relieved the mallet had made her clothes bigger too, and hugged back. Seija felt skinny underneath her cloak, and smelt of something Shinmyoumaru couldn?t pin down. Something foreign and wonderful.

Seija let go, and grasped Shinmyoumaru?s free hand. Shinmyoumaru felt herself blush. ?Your Highness, Princess Shinmyoumaru Sukuna, please let me serve you. Let me work as your retainer and advisor, and together we can change Gensokyo for the better.?

?I-I?m going to be in charge??

?A mere-? Then Seija paused, and thought over what she was going to say. ?A commoner such as myself has no elegance, no charisma. It?s only fitting that a member of the royal Sukuna family should lead the revolution, and become the ruler of Gensokyo once things have changed. You have been trained as a ruler, haven?t you??

It was true, Shinmyoumaru had been taught things like diplomacy and leadership in case she took the throne. Would that be enough to help her? ?I have, but? I don?t know if I?d be good enough.?

?Of course you will.? Seija spoke with such conviction that Shinmyoumaru had to believe her. ?Why don?t we go outside? Up to Gensokyo? Ask the mallet to take us up there.?

Go to Gensokyo? Now? Well, why not? She was big, she had nothing to fear. Shinmyoumaru could do anything with the mallet. She gripped Seija?s hand, and held the mallet up high. ?Mallet, take us up to Gensokyo!? And then she struck their clenched hands.

The whole castle shook.

Shinmyoumaru shrieked. Seija grabbed hold of her, and pulled her close. The box and the table trembled, and a loud creaking sound echoed through the room. Then, with a horrifying crack, the whole building was catapulted high, and they shot up the natural chimney. Seija?s grip on Shinmyoumaru tightened, and her nails dug painfully into her arms.

Light exploded around them. Shinmyoumaru squeezed her eyes shut. Any minute they?d slow down, and fall to their deaths. She had to say something. She needed to use the mallet to protect them.

And then, the castle stopped moving. There was one final shudder, and it lay still. Neither woman moved.

Shinmyoumaru felt something brush her face. It felt soft, like a feather. She opened her eyes, and lifted her head. Her surroundings were bright. Outside the window was a wide, pastel blue sheet.

Shinmyoumaru wiggled out of Seija?s arms and rushed over. It was the sky! They were floating in the sky! Seija ran up behind her. ?Be careful, Your Highness. Don?t fall!? She grasped Shinmyoumaru?s shoulders, and together they peered through the window.

It was just like the picture books. Above and below them was nothing but blue sky, with the occasional white fluffy cloud drifting past. Beyond that, Shinmyoumaru realised, were trees. An endless number of trees across a rugged landscape. Hills. Mountains. Valleys. The highest points even had tiny white flecks of snow. The invisible feather stroking her cheek, she realised, was wind. The air felt colder and fresher than she?d ever experienced, and filled every part of her lungs. She wanted to find the sun, then remembered that it was bad to look at it directly. But where was it? She noticed it on the left, climbing the sky.

?I?m outside,? she said, her voice trembling. ?I?m outside? it?s all real? it exists??

?What the World of Oni takes to be evening is actually morning in Gensokyo,? explained Seija. ?They?ve got it backwards. Funny, isn?t it??

?Did we really used to live here? Did inchlings really live in a place like this??

?They did, and they can live here again under your rule.?

Shinmyoumaru looked up at Seija, reluctant to tear her eyes away from the scenery. ?Can I really do it? Can I really rule over everyone here??

?Of course you can. And I?ll be by your side, supporting you. If you allow me to, of course.?

?I?? Shinmyoumaru felt tears well up in her eyes. ?I?ll do it? I?ll lead your revolution.? She gripped the mallet. She didn?t need convincing. Not after experiencing such beauty. ?I can?t let the inchling race stay in the World of Oni anymore. Not after seeing this.?

Seija squeezed her shoulders, then turned her around, so they were facing each other. Then she took Shinmyoumaru?s hand. ?If I may??

Shinmyoumaru nodded, unsure what she meant. Seija knelt down on one knee, and pressed her lips against it.



And so began their revolution.

hungrybookworm:

Chapter 3
(AO3 Mirror)

There was a lot to do in the castle. All the damp and mould had to be cleared away, and brand new shouji screens put in. The water-damaged beams needed replacing, and the stains on the white walls scrubbed off. And once all that was over, they had to find furniture.

?Why can?t we just use the mallet?? asked Shinmyoumaru, intimidated by the work required.

?Same reason we can?t wave it around and make our revolution happen overnight,? grumbled Seija. ?Though I guess it should be fine if you do it in bits. Tap a few shouji screens and see what happens.?

Seija never explained what that reason was, of course. Shinmyoumaru was confused. They had the power of miracles on their side, so what was wrong with smacking everything in sight and ruling over Gensokyo by the end of the week? But she did as Seija said, only tapping a few screens with the mallet as she walked around the castle, and watching as they repaired themselves before her eyes.

The next day, Seija gave her the go ahead to do the rest of the castle. ?Use separate wishes for everything,? she cautioned, ?understand? Never wish for anything big in one go. Not without asking me first.?

?Why?s that? Will something bad happen??

?Maybe.? And that?s all Seija said on the subject.

With the castle now habitable, they started settling in. The whole building consisted of a single tower: five floors tall, with a cellar in the large stone block at the top. The first floor directly beneath the cellar was the widest, and was chosen to be the main room. Seija claimed the floor below ? the second floor ? to herself, and Shinmyoumaru chose the fifth floor, right at the bottom. It would?ve been the highest part of the tower if the castle had been right way up, and it was small and cosy. And best of all, she could look out the window whenever she felt like it, and see Gensokyo stretch out for miles and miles below. The third and fourth floors remained unused. They didn?t have time to keep them clean anyway.

It soon became obvious to Shinmyoumaru that there were several problems with living in a floating upside down castle. Firstly, the tower had no kitchen or bathroom. A traditional Japanese castle would?ve placed them in separate buildings, but whoever built the tower hadn?t thought of adding any useful extras like that. Secondly, the toilets were in the ceiling, and there was no underground pit to dump the waste afterwards. Thirdly, they had no running water, and no well or nearby river to drink from. Neither of them needed water on a daily basis, being youkai, but not being able to wash bothered Shinmyoumaru a lot.

And the beams on the floor were really, really annoying. Shinmyoumaru stubbed her toes on them, tripped over one at least twice a day, and hated sleeping across them at night.

Seija, however, adored the beams, and thought the castle being upside down was the best thing about it. ?It?s the best castle in the world!? she declared. ?I wanna live here forever!? And she looked so happy Shinmyoumaru found herself not minding it after all.

Their first month together passed slowly. Seija made trips down into Gensokyo, and Shinmyoumaru spent her days gazing out of the windows, watching the clouds change shape and the sun cross the sky. She never got bored of it. Once, a tall, dark cloud rolled over the castle, and a hundred thousand water drops poured down onto the underside of the gabled roof. Shinmyoumaru stretched her hand through the wooden bars covering the window, and felt the droplets land on her palm.

Seija brought things back from Gensokyo: wooden boards for Shinmyoumaru to sleep on, so the beams wouldn?t hurt her back anymore; big ceramic pots, which they used to store rainwater and dried food in the cellar; furniture of varying quality, most of which went in the main room; and big dusty books that Seija would carry away to her floor. ?For planning tactics,? she?d say, if Shinmyoumaru asked.

Shinmyoumaru forgot about the revolution sometimes. She was too busy enjoying life under the sun. In a way, she never wanted it to come. She wanted to live up in the sky forever, passing her days peacefully with Seija by her side.

Time passed. The wind blowing through the castle became colder. Shinmyoumaru?s breath puffed out in little balls of steam. She and Seija started leaving their makeshift hearth alight after dinner, to keep warm.

?You need new clothes, Your Highness,? commented Seija one evening, with a strange smile on her face. ?I can see you shivering.?

?It?s freezing!? Shinmyoumaru rubbed her arms. She?d never felt so cold before. ?Aren?t you cold too, Seija??

?Not really.? Seija was wearing a cloak over her usual clothes, and didn?t seem bothered by the temperature. There were so many strange things about Seija. Shinmyoumaru already thought she was a bit odd, but it was becoming more obvious with each passing day. Seija ate burnt or undercooked food, and wore clothes that didn?t fit her properly. She spoke politely to Shinmyoumaru most of the time, but occasionally slipped into gruff, vulgar language. She smiled when she hurt herself, and laughed if she stubbed her toe. And every now and then, she?d return from Gensokyo covered in cuts and bruises, with a dark look on her face that made Shinmyoumaru keep her distance.

And she could fly too.

Apparently flying was normal in Gensokyo, but Seija was the first person Shinmyoumaru had ever seen float in the air. She?d spring off the ground, and drift past with seemingly no effort. Due to the castle being upside down, none of the staircases were any use. Seija could just float up to the next floor, but Shinmyoumaru didn?t have that option, so Seija had to find several rickety old ladders down in Gensokyo, and spend an afternoon securing them with some rope. The wind made them sway from side-to-side, and Shinmyoumaru never felt safe climbing them.

If she could fly, maybe she could go down to Gensokyo too, and see it for herself. She wanted to see all the green grass and trees, and the sparkling lakes and snow-capped mountains. She wanted to go up to the stone block at the top of the castle too, and gaze up at the sky above her. She wanted to fly in the rain, and get completely drenched.

Shinmyoumaru shivered again, and edged closer to the hearth. She wished she?d brought some more clothes with her, so she could add a few extra layers. Seija was watching her out of the corner of her eye. Shinmyoumaru smiled at her, and Seija looked away.

A moment later, Seija sighed, took her cloak off, and draped it over Shinmyoumaru?s shoulders. ?I?ll get you some warmer clothes tomorrow,? she mumbled.

Shinmyoumaru felt herself blush. ?Thank you!? She pulled the cloak around her. It was made with heavy fabric, and warmed her up. ?But are you gonna be okay? Without a cloak, I mean.?

Seija didn?t look happy to be thanked. ?I?ll be fine,? she said, and went back to staring at the hearth.

*****
Winter settled across Gensokyo. Black tree bark contrasted with the endless white snow pouring down from the sky, and the humans in the village began wearing coats and scarves and gloves. The sun set frighteningly early, and gave little warmth once it rose.

To the far east of Gensokyo, on a steep hill facing the Human Village, stood a small wooden shrine. Its roof was covered in a thick layer of snow, and tiny snowflakes drifted down from the night sky, dying the grounds the same bright white colour covering the rest of Gensokyo?s landscape. Light flickered from the windows, warm and inviting.


It was two o?clock in the morning, and Marisa Kirisame should have gone home three hours ago. Instead she was sitting in Reimu Hakurei?s lap, too tipsy to work out whether the arms wrapped around her were real, or part of a drunken hallucination. Reimu was smiling, and resting her head against Marisa?s. This was far from their first drinking session alone together, but nothing this intimate had happened before. The room stank of alcohol, and the fire in the hearth crackled. The kotatsu was out, but neither of them showed any interest in moving towards it.

They didn?t say anything. Speaking would only ruin the moment, and remind them that they weren?t meant to be holding each other like this. Marisa wrapped an arm around Reimu?s back, and leant closer. Her heart pounded so loud she was afraid Reimu might hear it. They?d been friends for over a decade. A long, long decade full of fights and rivalry, and drinking tea on the shrine porch to pass the time. Marisa had long given up on them being more than friends. It was better that way anyway. Safer. Reimu was too important to lose over something as fickle as romance.

But now, the possibility opened up inside her, flooding her with emotions she?d locked away a long time ago. She grasped the back of Reimu?s top, enjoying the feel of the fabric between her fingers. It?d always been Reimu invading her mind. Ever since she was young enough to know who the Hakurei shrine maiden was, she?d never thought about anyone else.

Marisa felt fingers brush over her hair, and touch her cheek. She looked up, and met Reimu?s gaze. The Hakurei shrine maiden was blushing, and Marisa could smell the sake in her breath. If they both lent forward a few millimetres, their noses would touch. And if they leant even further than that?

Marisa couldn?t miss this opportunity. It might never come again. She reached up, and cupped Reimu?s cheek. Reimu didn?t react, nor did she look away. Holding her breath, Marisa tilted her head, leaned forward, and-

Was shoved to the floor.

Reimu scrambled to her feet, shaking. She stared down at Marisa, her mouth open in horror. Marisa stared back, confused. A second passed. Two. Three.

?Hey!? Marisa broke the silence. ?What was that for??

?What do you think that was for?? Reimu struggled to speak. ?You just tried to kiss me!?

She?d tried to kiss Reimu? She?d tried to kiss Reimu! What was wrong with her? Marisa had ruined everything. It was all over. ?No I didn?t! I thought I saw a spot on your nose, so I was trying to take a closer look!?

Reimu touched the tip of her nose, alarmed. Marisa had the sudden urge to smash something, and got to her feet before she gave into it. ?Anyway, it?s late. I need to get going.? She turned around. One of her knees gave way, and she stumbled. Shit. She had to get out of there. ??See you later, I guess.? She grabbed her broom, rolled the shouji screen open, and stepped outside.

Reimu didn?t say anything. She just watched Marisa leave, frozen in shock. Outside the snow glittered in the moonlight, and cold air drifted into the main room.

*****
?Seija, Seija look!? Shinmyoumaru ran across the stone block, making footprints in the snow. ?Look what I?m making!?

?What are you, a kid?? Seija snorted. ?You?re acting like someone who?s never seen snow before.?

She hadn?t. Shinmyoumaru had only seen it in picture books. ?I?m trying to write your name! See, there?s the ?sei?, and I?m doing the ?ja? bit now.? Shinmyoumaru was wearing boots, a bright yellow scarf, and a thick duffle coat Seija found for her last week. The mallet hung from her belt, and dripped melted snow onto the ground. Unworn gloves were tied to her sleeves with coloured pieces of string, and her hands were red from the cold. She?d begged Seija to bring her up to the block once she saw the snow fluttering past the window, and after being dressed in about ten layers and carried up, she started running around like an overexcited child, up and down the uneven surface, scooping up snow and watching it melt in her hands, and making patterns with her footprints. She wasn?t bothered by the cold. In fact, she loved the sharp, numb feeling stabbing through her fingers. The flakes were still falling, and landed in her long hair.

Seija watched her, arms crossed. She didn?t look happy to be there.

Shinmyoumaru finished writing the ?ja? character, only to find the fresh snow had already erased the ?sei? part. ?It?s gone! Look Seija, it?s gone!?

?Obviously.? Seija rolled her eyes. ?It?s snow. It does that.? She was rubbing her arms, shivering. Despite the weather, she hadn?t bothered putting on a coat, or changing out of her sandals. ?God, it?s freezing!?

?Do you want to borrow my coat??

?I?m fine,? grumbled Seija. ?I?m a youkai. I can?t freeze to death.?

Seija had been in a bad mood ever since that evening a few weeks ago, when she?d given Shinmyoumaru her cloak. Shinmyoumaru was worried she?d said something rude at some point, but she couldn?t think of anything that might?ve offended Seija. Whenever she asked, Seija just shook her head and smiled politely, reassuring her that everything was fine. Shinmyoumaru was just over thinking things.

Shinmyoumaru glanced up at Seija, and had an idea. ?Let?s make something together, come on! Let?s make a mini-castle!? She grabbed Seija?s hand before she could refuse, and dragged her over to a small slope on the block. ?Let?s make a big five-tier castle, and houses around it!? There was a big pile of untouched snow on top of it. Shinmyoumaru immediately dived in.

?All right.? Seija gave up. ?Fine. Let?s make a castle.? And they spent the next half hour sculpting a miniature replica of their own castle, right-side up. Shinmyoumaru added a garden and a moat, and a bath house with six luxury tubs. Seija seemed more interested in making tiny, identical figures, which somehow ended up the same size as the buildings. ?It?s our army!? she explained. ?They?re gonna help us take over Gensokyo.?

She gave each figure a thin cylinder of snow to hold. Shinmyoumaru wasn?t sure what they were meant to be. ?Are those spears??

Seija looked surprised. ?They?re guns.?

?Guns?? Shinmyoumaru tilted her head. ?What?re guns??

Seija chuckled. ?We?ve got about fifty of them in the castle. They?re on that rack on the fourth floor.?

So that?s what they were! Shinmyoumaru remembered finding several weird wooden sticks with metal parts stacked on the wall. They?d been rotting, but Shinmyoumaru restored them with the mallet. ?If you?re making an army, then we need someone to command them!? Shinmyoumaru scooped up more snow, and attempted to make two small figures herself. One was short, and the other so thin it kept collapsing. ?There, that?s me, and that?s you!?

Seija laughed at that. ?You look so dumb!?

?I?ve never made anything out of snow before!? Shinmyoumaru pouted.

Seija grabbed a small handful of snow, and fashioned a miniature mallet out of it. ?Can?t forget this.? She put it on the Shinmyoumaru figure?s head. ?Most important part.?

?Meanie!? Shinmyoumaru laughed. ?The castle looks funny the right way up.?

?Everyone would see it on the ground,? said Seija. ?They?d come and attack us right away!?

?Would they??

?Yeah, with pitchforks and torches and everything! No mercy.? Seija grinned. ?But you don?t have to worry, Your Highness! We?re safe up here in the sky. We can?t even feel earthquakes this high up.?

?You?re right, we can?t??

?Not like our mini-castle!? Seija kicked it, and it crumbled away. ?Hah! Look at that! So weak!?

Shinmyoumaru gasped. ?Don?t destroy our castle!?

?I?m the big bad earthquake, here to crush our revolution!?

?I can?t believe you!? Shinmyoumaru grabbed part of the ruined castle with both hands, and moulded it into a ball. ?Take this!? She chucked it at Seija, and it smacked into her shoulder. ?And another one!?

Seija laughed, and made a feeble attempt to dodge the snowball. ?Is that it? I could dodge them with my eyes closed!?

?You want me to try harder? All right, I?ll show you what the inchling race are capable of!? She scooped up as much snow as she could. ?I?ll make the biggest snowball you?ve ever seen!? When it stopped fitting in her hand, she put it on the ground, and started rolling it across the hill. The snowball grew in size. ?I?m gonna drop this on your head!?

Seija watched, laughing hysterically. ?Bring it!? She scooped up more snow. ?I?m not taking this lying down. You?re in for a world of pain!? She threw it at Shinmyoumaru, and it smacked the side of her head. Snow ran down her neck, underneath her scarf and coat. Shinmyoumaru squeaked, surprised, but kept going anyway.

Eventually she had a snowball the size of a cannonball. ?Can you even pick that up?? sneered Seija, already holding a new snowball.

Shinmyoumaru wrapped both arms around it, and heaved it up. She wobbled forwards, and used the momentum to break into run. ?Take thiiiiis!?

Seija watched her, smirked, and elegantly side-stepped to the right. Shinmyoumaru shot past, tried to stop, skidded instead, and hurtled towards the edge. She shrieked, and tried to drop the snowball. Instead she tripped over it, rolled over and over in the snow?

And right over the edge, into thin air.

Shinmyoumaru screamed.

?You idiot!? She felt a hand grasp the collar of her coat. ?Look where you?re going!? She was yanked back onto the stone block. She fell backwards, into the snow again, and lay still for a few seconds, stupefied. Seija looked down at her, and Shinmyoumaru had never seen her look so scared before. ?Do you have a death wish or something? We?re over a thousand metres above the ground!?

?S-Sorry??

Seija opened her mouth, but bit her tongue, and closed it again. Then she sighed. ?Forgive my harsh language, Your Highness.? She was back to being polite. ?But please don?t do that again. I barely had time to catch you.?

?I?m sorry, Seija. Really.?

Seija groaned, and covered her face with both hands. Shinmyoumaru continued looking at her, baffled by her reaction. The mallet felt heavy against her hip.

?I think,? said Seija at last, ?that it?s best if I teach you how to fly after all.?

Shinmyoumaru?s face lit up. ?Really? You?ll teach me how to fly??

?Yes. And I need to teach you about spell card rules anyway. Might as well do that as well.?

Shinmyoumaru had no idea what ?spell card rules? were. ?What?s that??

?It?s how people solve disputes in Gensokyo. I was going to get round to it eventually, once we finished fixing the castle.? Seija let her hands drop away from her face, and did her best to smile. ?Let?s go back inside for now. We?ve had enough excitement for one day.?

?Ah, but!?

?The snow will be here tomorrow.? Seija began walking away. ?Hurry up, or I?ll leave without you.?

Shinmyoumaru scrambled to her feet, and with a glance at their ruined miniature castle, followed after her.

hungrybookworm:

Whoops I forgot to post chapter 4 here before flying home.

Chapter 4
(AO3 Mirror)

Seija became more reserved after that day in the snow. She wouldn?t look Shinmyoumaru in the eye, and reverted to polite language whenever they spoke. She would bow ? a hand placed on her chest, and a soft smile on her lips ? and leave the room as soon as she was done talking to Shinmyoumaru. ?I don?t want to disturb you, Your Highness,? she would say, like an actor in a well-rehearsed play.

Shinmyoumaru hated it. No matter how many times she asked Seija to relax, or to speak less formally, or to just spend more time with her, nothing changed. She could only sit by herself and gaze at the world below, watching the snow recede and a few of the trees blossom into beautiful pink. Cherry blossoms. Shinmyoumaru was desperate to go down and see them for herself, but to do that, she needed to know how to fly.

True to her word, Seija had taught her the basics in a few stolen moments after dinner. Apparently it was all about being in the right frame of mind, then having the right balance, and keeping your posture if you wanted to retain a certain speed. Some people could fly using advanced magic, or rode on things that floated, but flying that way put you at a disadvantage. If the thing you rode on broke, you?d fall. If you exhausted your magic before you got home, you?d be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Seija was adamant that Shinmyoumaru flew through her own strength.

And that required hours of practise. So when Shinmyoumaru grew tired of looking out the window, she would spend hours in her room meditating, picturing herself flying, then balancing on one foot and waving her arms around like an idiot. When she finally managed to hover a few centimetres above the ground, the cold wind had warmed up, and the sun was starting to set later in the evening.

Even Seija couldn?t help but smile when Shinmyoumaru showed her. The same bright, beautiful smile she wore when they first found the mallet.

The less Shinmyoumaru saw of Seija, the more she weighed on her mind. Seija continued spending most of her time away from the castle, and came back with unusual things. Buckets of water, for example. Apparently the snow they?d collected during the winter wouldn?t be enough to last through the summer. She started bringing things specifically for Shinmyoumaru too, like newspapers. Hundreds of newspapers, with ragged square holes in each page.

?I got them from a dustbin,? explained Seija, ?and the previous owner cut out some of the articles.?

The holes didn?t bother Shinmyoumaru. She poured over the pages, reading them over and over. Shinmyoumaru learnt about the residents of Gensokyo: the humans in the village, who always seemed troubled by some vague supernatural menace; the creatures on Youkai Mountain, and their strange society; the various youkai that stalked the night, all by themselves; and the most famous youkai exterminators. A pretty shrine maiden, and a magician with a huge hat. The articles were a bit wordy, so Shinmyoumaru couldn?t read them very quickly, but their daily lives all sounded so fun, full of whimsical events and wacky adventures.

But of course, there wasn?t a single mention of the inchling race. The World of Oni got referenced every now and then, but that was all. One particularly bulky edition included the results of a recent census, and inchlings weren?t listed anywhere.

?Seija,? asked Shinmyoumaru that evening, as they ate dinner, ?which youkai are you??

She?d never come out and asked Seija before. Shinmyoumaru was confident Seija wasn?t an oni now. It didn?t matter to her which species Seija was (she?d treat her the same no matter what) but she wanted to look up how many friends Seija had in the census.

Seija?s face went pale, and she coughed loudly.

?I mean, I?m an inchling!? Shinmyoumaru smiled. ?I want everyone to know I?m an inchling! Don?t you want everyone to know what you are??

Seija didn?t say anything. She finished her food, tossed the chopsticks onto the table, and stood up.

Maybe she was being too pushy. ?Is it? a secret??

?You?re better off not knowing,? said Seija, ?that?s all.? And she walked out of the room.

*****
Seija was even more reclusive after that. She would disappear before Shinmyoumaru woke up, and come back several hours later to cook dinner. Then she would disappear again, and Shinmyoumaru would sit on the third floor until she heard Seija come home.

?Where are you going all the time, Seija?? Shinmyoumaru frowned, wondering if she should mention how empty the castle felt during the day. ?I hardly see you.?

She didn?t get a proper answer, of course. ?My apologies, Your Highness.? Seija smiled politely. ?It?s just for a few weeks, while I sort one or two things out.?

But the more time passed, the more Shinmyoumaru began to worry. Seija came back injured almost every night, her arms and legs covered in scratches and bruises, and she?d reek of smoke. Shinmyoumaru saw her wince as she stirred a pot of stew.

?It?s nothing,? Seija snarled. ?Don?t look at me like that.?

Shinmyoumaru would pace around the castle during the day, unable to settle down. Desperate for clues one afternoon, she snuck into Seija?s bedroom on the second floor. It was empty except for a few books, a messy, unmade futon and a large map of Gensokyo stuck to the tatami mats in the ceiling. It had different coloured pins stabbed into it, over locations Shinmyoumaru didn?t recognise.

The books all had dramatic sounding titles ? An Encyclopaedia of Local Youkai; Tactics and Strategies of the Sengoku Era; A Basic Guide to Matchlock Rifles ? and buried under them, a slim booklet titled Gensokyo?s Spell Card System: A Beginner?s Guide.

Seija had mentioned something about teaching her spell cards. Maybe Shinmyoumaru could teach herself? She doubted Seija would mind if she borrowed the book for a while. She picked it up, and carried it back down to her room.

The next day, Seija brought a large box full of western cutlery into the main room. There was a long cut on her cheek, and the left side of her hair was matted with blood. ?We?re going to make tsukumogami!? she declared. ?Use the mallet to give them power.?

Shinmyoumaru leapt to her feet. ?Okay!? She snatched the mallet off her kimono obi. ?Um? I just make the wish, and hit the box, right??

?Not the box, hit each one individually.? Seija smiled. Not her usual polite one, but the big bright one Shinmyoumaru loved. ?Start with this one.? She pulled a large, sharp knife out from the box.

Shinmyoumaru took it off her, and held it up. ?Mallet, grant this simple knife more power!? The mallet glowed in her hand. She struck the knife with one swing, and both she and Seija stared at it. The knife glowed for a few seconds, but otherwise didn?t change.

But Seija noticed something. ?It worked!?

?Did it?? Shinmyoumaru stared. ?It looks the same to me.?

?You?ll notice it the more you use that mallet. Now get started.? She patted the box. ?Don?t do them all at once, remember? One knife and fork at a time. Once you?re finished, I?ll scatter then around Gensokyo.?

Shinmyoumaru pulled a hair band out from her kimono, and tied her long hair into a ponytail. ?Leave it to me!?

?Okay. I?ll be in my room.? Seija turned, and winced. She stopped moving, and clasped both hands around her leg.

?Seija?? Shinmyoumaru looked up from the box. ?Are you all right??

?I?m fine.? Seija spoke through gritted teeth. Then she limped her way over to the stairs, and floated up to the next floor.

Shinmyoumaru worked on the cutlery, rustling through the box and pulling out knives and forks one-by-one. What was Seija doing down in Gensokyo? There was no way finding things to bring up to the castle took all day. Why did she keep getting hurt? Was she getting into fights with people? Youkai healed quickly from physical wounds, so it wasn?t like Seija would suffer for long, but it still bothered Shinmyoumaru a lot.

The thought of Seija being kicked and punched, and wrestled to the floor as blood dribbled from her mouth, made Shinmyoumaru feel weak and dizzy. She didn?t want those kinds of things to happen to Seija. Not to anyone.

Reading the newspapers had softened her view of Gensokyo. The youkai inhabiting it were ruthless. The evidence was all over Seija?s body. Shinmyoumaru felt ashamed for forgetting what she was there for. What would those youkai do if they found out she was an inchling? Would they attack her too? Kick and punch her until she broke?

Like her aunt?s broken body, lying there in the box, her clothes dyed red, her skin-

No.

She couldn?t think about that now. She had work to do.

After thirty or so knives and forks, she started noticing the difference between the cutlery she?d struck, and the cutlery still in the box. She picked up one of the first few knives she did, and it made her fingertips tingle. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

The knife wanted to cut. She could sense that. Its purpose in life was to cut things, and it longed to be useful and slice whatever its owner desired. Shinmyoumaru wanted to grant its simple wish. She didn?t need the mallet for this. She touched her ponytail. Washing her hair took a long time, and wasted a lot of water.

She reached behind her, and cut her ponytail off with the knife. The hair fell away with one slice. She?d never had short hair before. It felt strange.

?Don?t worry,? she said to the knife, ?I?ll make sure you live a nicer life from now on. Follow me, and you?ll never suffer again. I promise.?

*****
That night, for the first time since she met Seija, Shinmyoumaru had a nightmare.

She was back at her aunt?s mansion, on the day of her death. She was peeking out the window, watching the servants run over to help carry a large box being unloaded from a rickshaw. Just like in real life, Shinmyoumaru felt a stab of dread, but unlike real life, she sprinted over to the front door.

The box was placed on the ground, and prised open. The female servants screamed. The male servants cringed and looked away. Shinmyoumaru pushed through them, and looked down?

Inside the box was Seija?s mangled body.

Shinmyoumaru shot awake, gasping, cold sweat making her night clothes stick to her skin. ?Seija!? She clung to her pillow. ?Seija??

No response. Just the creak of the castle moving in the wind. Shinmyoumaru threw the covers off, and climbed out of her futon. She needed to find Seija, and make sure she was all right. Otherwise it?d be like her aunt all over again.

Seija was her subordinate. Shinmyoumaru was obligated to protect her. How long had she been in the castle now, letting Seija run around doing whatever she wanted, while Shinmyoumaru sat alone reading and practicing, oblivious and uninterested in changing things? It was no different to the life she?d led with her Aunt Kikyou! And look how that had turned out.

A day might come when Seija wouldn?t come back, and Shinmyoumaru would have no idea how she?d died, or where she?d died, or who?d killed her. Inchlings left corpses for a short while after their death, which made them unusual for youkai. Seija was clearly not an inchling, and would crumble away after the final blow. Shinmyoumaru would never find a corpse.

She had to go find Seija and start acting like the leader of a revolution, not a pampered princess who needed looking after. She dressed herself, brushed her hair, then grabbed her needle sword. It lived in a scabbard Shinmyoumaru had sewn herself, and she quickly slung it over her back. She stood at the bottom of the stairs, and ignored the ladder. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and kicked against the ground.

She floated up to the next floor.

She passed through the fourth floor, then the third. On the second, she landed on the floor and began striding to Seija?s room. She rolled the room divider back, and saw an empty futon. The books were arranged around it like a fortress, and the map of Gensokyo now had pieces of coloured string stretched between the pins. But no Seija. Shinmyoumaru shut the room divider, and went up to the first floor. The plates from last night?s dinner were still stacked on the table, otherwise it was completely deserted.

Was Seija on the stone block? Shinmyoumaru had never flown there by herself before. There was a large opening on the first floor that was supposed to be the tower?s main entrance, and they always kept it shut to stop birds flying in. Shinmyoumaru briefly thought about opening it, then decided going through one of the windows would be faster. Most of the castle windows had vertical wooden bars across them, but Seija had removed a few during restoration so she could get in and out of the castle easily. There were wooden screens covering most of them, so the birds stayed away. Shinmyoumaru rolled one aside, and looked out of the window.

It was pitch black outside. Her short hair tickled her cheeks as it blew in the wind. How far was the forest below the castle? Shinmyoumaru shivered, but slung a leg over the window sill anyway. She wouldn?t plunge to her death. Not after all that flying practice. It?d be fine.

Shinmyoumaru swung the other leg over, and sat on the edge of the window sill. Her feet dangled over nothing. The mallet felt heavy against her hip. Shinmyoumaru thought about using it to help her, but that felt like cheating somehow. (Climbing wasn?t an option either; the stone block had a huge overhang.) Shinmyoumaru wanted to find Seija through her own strength; otherwise she wouldn?t be fit to lead their revolution.

She closed her eyes, prayed, and pushed herself off the edge.

Her stomach swooped, and Shinmyoumaru felt herself panic. She fell, passing the third floor, the fourth? but then she regained her balance, and hovered in midair. She clenched the mallet, terrified, ready to use it at a moment?s notice, but she stayed put. A cloud drifted below her, and she felt cold water vapour pass over her toes.

Shinmyoumaru took a deep breath, then slowly levitated upwards. She moved to the right, to avoid the overhang, and soon became level with the stone block. She touched its rough edge with a hand, drifted over it, then slowly lowered herself down. Her trembling feet touched solid rock. She?d done it. She?d done it! She?d flown to the block all by herself!


And Seija was sitting to the left, holding a pipe and staring at Shinmyoumaru in total shock.

?Seija!? Shinmyoumaru ran over to her. She was alive, she was all right! ?Seija!?

Seija opened her mouth to say something, but Shinmyoumaru collided with her, and pulled her into a fierce hug. ?Seija!? Tears ran down her cheeks. ?Seija, Seija!?

?W-What?? Seija looked baffled, and didn?t return the hug. ?What are you doing up at this time, Your Highness?? The pipe shook in her hand. ?Shouldn?t you be asleep??

?I was worried about you! I thought you?d died!?

?G? Get off me, it hurts.? Seija pushed her away, and Shinmyoumaru stared at her, heartbroken. ?Don?t look at me like that. I don?t like it.? She groaned, and covered her face. ?Shit??

What had she done? Shinmyoumaru felt terrible. ?I?m sorry,? she said. ?I got carried away? You?re away all day and coming back late at night, so I never get to see you. I was worried something might?ve happened to you.?

Seija sucked on the end of her pipe, and blew white smoke out of her mouth. The cut on her face was gone, and her hair the same colour as always. ?I?m busy down in Gensokyo getting things ready for our revolution. And? and I don?t want to get in the way of your training, Your Highness. I would only be a hindrance.?

Shinmyoumaru looked at the pipe. ?When did you start smoking??

?It?s an old habit.? She put it to her mouth again. ?It helps me de-stress.? She looked at Shinmyoumaru, and smiled slightly. ?Wanna try it??

?I?m fine, thank you.?

?You sure?? There was a wicked glint in Seija?s eye. ?Smoking?s great. It helps you relax.?

?Um, I?m told it makes your lungs bad??

?Only in humans. You?re a youkai, aren?t you??

?I am, but...? But inchling biology was similar to humans? in several places. Shinmyoumaru felt annoyed. ?Seija, if I asked you to come home early, would you??

Seija frowned, and said nothing for a few moments. She took another drag of smoke. ?Maybe.?

?You?re my retainer. You need to do as I say.? The Seija in her dream flashed before her eyes. Broken, mangled, dead. ?I want you to come home before dinner at least, and spend the evening with me.?

She heard Seija groan. ?Give me a break.?

Shinmyoumaru felt tears well up in her eyes again. ?Is spending time with me really that awful? Did I do something to upset you, Seija? Do you hate me??

Another long silence. Seija chewed the pipe, thinking. Shinmyoumaru wiped her eyes with a sleeve. She had to be brave.

?What happened to your hair?? asked Seija.

?I cut it. I?m going to be serious about our revolution from now on. I?m done with sitting around and letting you do all the hard work.?

Seija looked at her again. Shinmyoumaru stared back, determined, and they gazed at each other.

Seija spoke first. Slowly, and deliberately. ?Tell me, Your Highness. What kind of youkai do you think I am??

Shinmyoumaru thought about it for a moment. ?I don?t think you?re an oni,? she said. ?That much I?m confident about.?

Seija smiled weakly. ?I?m not an oni, no.? And she turned away. ?I?m an amanojaku.?

??An amanojaku?? Shinmyoumaru thought she?d misheard her. ?Like in that story about the melon princess??

Shinmyoumaru had heard that folktale in her history lessons. The melon princess ? Urikohime ? lets an amanojaku into her home while her parents are out. What happened to her next depended on the version, but in some endings the princess got eaten, and the amanojaku stole her identity.

?Just like that one,? said Seija. ?Like the amanojaku in all the scariest versions.?

Shinmyoumaru fell silent. A gust of wind blew across the roof, making Seija?s collar flap and her hair blow across her face. She looked at peace, as though she?d finally confessed a huge secret.

Everything clicked into place. All of Seija?s strange behaviour, her eagerness to be alone, why she kept being rude and didn?t always do what Shinmyoumaru asked?

??Why didn?t you tell me earlier??

Seija giggled, and took another puff of smoke.

?Because who?d want to team up with an amanojaku??

*****
Once Shinmyoumaru returned to the castle, she went straight to the second floor. She?s seen an encyclopaedia on youkai in there, and she needed it now. Luckily it wasn?t hard to find ? the book was near the top of the pile, and she dug it out without knocking anything over. Then she carried it down to her bedroom, and sat cross-legged on her futon.

Amanojaku? good, they had amanojaku listed in the index. She flicked to the correct page, and began reading. There was a colourful picture of a male amanojaku on the frontispiece. He didn?t look much like Seija ? the horns were the same, but his body was bulkier and a strange purple colour, and there was a cruel look in his eyes. Shinmyoumaru wondered if all the male amanojaku looked like that, or if the artist was just using their imagination.

The article was full of doom and gloom. Amanojaku were a nasty species of youkai, who existed to cause trouble and feed off other people?s misery. Everyone ? humans and youkai alike ? were recommended to avoid them whenever possible. Nothing good came out of associating with them. The rest of the section described their way of life: they were solitary youkai, only encountering each other to mate. Most meetings with other amanojaku ended in fights, some of which were fatal. Amanojaku chicks were born in large broods, as the average amanojaku lifespan was low. Most died at a young age after annoying someone stronger than them, or biting off more than they could chew. Those that lived longer than a century were usually very powerful, or very clever. Some even became gods.

They were happiest surrounded by and causing misery, and aspired to be hated by all. Being liked made them miserable.

Who?d want to team up with an amanojaku?

A teardrop hit the page. Shinmyoumaru snivelled, and wiped her eyes with a sleeve. No wonder Seija was stressed out! Her life sounded horrible! And she was going out of her way to team up with Shinmyoumaru and make things better for weak youkai, against all her natural desires to be alone and cause misery.

Shinmyoumaru wanted to help her somehow. She wanted to make Seija?s life easier. She had no idea how, but if Seija could fight her own instincts to make her dream come true, then couldn?t Shinmyoumaru step outside her comfort zone too? She thought of the big smile Seija had when she was happy. How excited she?d looked when they saw the mallet.

She wanted Seija to smile like that again and again. She wanted to see Seija next to her, grinning from ear-to-ear, a strong arm around Shinmyoumaru?s shoulder... They were a team. Comrades. They?d fight back-to-back, and never give up. Even if they lost, and were imprisoned together for treason, she wanted Seija there with her, holding her hand through the bars. They can break our bodies, but not our spirit!

Seija?s hand felt nice. Even though she was an amanojaku, it was so smooth and soft. Shinmyoumaru wanted to hold it again.

The book fell out of her lap. Shinmyoumaru returned to reality, and reached down to pick it back up.


But when she lifted it off the floor, she noticed a folded sheet of paper hidden in the back of the book. Frowning, Shinmyoumaru pulled it free and opened it. The handwriting was neat and curly, like a young girl?s, and the ink a crisp black.

This is my final testament, as one of the few surviving inchlings from that day. We, who desired too much and brought about our own destruction. We, who thought we were akin to gods, as long as the mallet was by our side. We, who deserve this black hell we now find ourselves imprisoned within, to atone for our many, many sins. I must write them all down, before our generation passes away, and history is given the chance to repeat itself.

This is the tale of how the descendants of Issun Boushi used his Miracle Mallet to satisfy their own greed, and how it plunged our entire race into the World of Oni, and took us away from the sun?s warmth forever.

hungrybookworm:

Chapter 5
(AO3 Mirror)

Reimu Hakurei woke up before the sun rose, and got dressed without eating breakfast. It was late April, and the weather had been warm and bright for the last few days. But now a light drizzle fell outside, and the smell of wet earth crept into the shrine. Reimu dug her umbrella out from the kitchen, and chose her thickest boots from the shoe cupboard.

She walked to the Human Village. There was no need to hurry. Flying would just get her wet, and running could make her slip in the mud. She clenched her purification rod in her left hand, and tried to stay focused. Exterminating youkai was one of the more exciting parts of her job, but she was dreading the next few hours.

The village was totally silent, as it should be this early in the morning. The shops were shut, and no lights were on in any of the houses. Reimu found the place she was looking for ? a furniture shop. She went around the back of the shop, as requested, and knocked on the wall. An old lady opened the back door, and beckoned her inside.

She was lead into the house, upstairs, towards a small room near the back. The old lady didn?t say anything, and Reimu didn?t try to make conversation. It had taken a long time to talk the family around to this, and she didn?t want to make things harder for them. In the corner of the small room was a handmade, wooden prison cell, containing a young man. The bars were plastered with crudely-made ofuda, and the man sat on the floor with his head bowed. His arms and legs were bound.

Earlier in the year, during January and February, there had been reports all over the village of people?s shouji screens and floorboards going missing, or decaying overnight. What was first assumed to be a prank or bizarre theft got more and more baffling as people?s gun collections, roof tiles, and even the village temple?s thick supporting pillar fell apart in a matter of hours. Reimu was sure it was the work of some irritating youkai, and normally she?d hunt down the culprit within a few days. But investigating took a lot longer than expected. Her intuition hadn?t been working properly ever since that winter night with Marisa, and all the youkai she confronted turned out to be innocent.

And then, while sitting in a tavern mulling over everything, she overheard two women gossiping behind her.

The furniture maker?s grandchildren have been dabbling with black magic, apparently.

I don?t believe that. Didn?t one of their children die of fever recently?

No, he didn?t die of fever. My neighbour told me he died during a ritual, and only the oldest one survived. He turned into a youkai, and that?s why no one?s seen him in such a long time. The family locked him up to stop him going out and eating people.

He?s probably got the same illness as his younger brother. Poor mites. It must be awful for their family, having all these rumours spread while they?re in mourning.

Reimu paid for her food and left. It took a while for the furniture shop owners to tell the truth, and even longer to consent to Reimu exterminating their grandson. It was sordid stuff, and Reimu felt horrible the whole way through. But finally, they agreed to let her inside the house, and deal with the youkai.


The old lady left the room, unwilling to watch. The man in the cage looked up at her, with a confident smirk on his face. He was probably around the same age as Reimu, but he looked like a cocky brat in the morning light.

?Why did you do it?? she asked.

?Throw away my humanity? Because I was sick of it.? The young man tried to sound dramatic. ?Both me and my brother were sick of it. I got fed up with being a weak little human, stuck in a house with a bunch of fear-mongering cowards, and my brother wanted to live longer than a hundred years. Shame he went and died halfway through the ritual. Moron.?

Reimu wasn?t going to exterminate him via spell card rules. A human from the village couldn?t become a youkai. It was an ironclad rule, and breaking it was the greatest sin anyone could commit in Gensokyo. Reimu wasn?t strict ? she wouldn?t chase after humans who left for Makai, for example. But she made it her business to visit anyone who crossed the line, and get rid of them before they caused any harm. She couldn?t allow this man to live.

He was still smirking at her, unafraid. Reimu felt disgusted. His own brother had died and he didn?t seem the least bit sad about it. She wondered if he knew the consequences. He probably thought she looked stupid, holding a stick and some fragile pieces of paper. A human wouldn?t feel threatened by those things, after all, and he hadn?t been a youkai long enough to become afraid of them. Reimu made a mental note to talk to the Village Leader afterwards, and arrange an information evening about youkai transformation with the villagers.

She couldn?t allow something like this to happen again.

Marisa knew, didn?t she? Reimu was sure she did. Marisa would never do something as moronic as turn herself into a youkai, and she?d never hurt other people in the process. Reimu had asked her a long time ago whether she planned to become a youkai magician, and Marisa had laughed and laughed until she cried.

But now wasn?t the time to think about Marisa. Reimu reached over to the cage door, and unlocked it. ?Keep still,? she told the youkai, ?and I won?t drag it out. Understand??

He laughed again, still unafraid. Reimu hardened her heart, and stepped inside.

*****
In order to recognise light, darkness is necessary in this world. Life exists as a concept because death contrasts it. Where there is virtue, there is corruption. Where there is happiness, there is misery. And thus, just as good people exist to lead society in the right direction, bad people are required to hinder their progress, and remind the world what it?s eternally fighting against.

Amanojaku are necessary in this world.

Seija Kijin was necessary in this world.

She forgot her age a long time ago. Her childhood was a blur, and she couldn?t remember the faces of her siblings anyway. Not that it mattered. All of them had died centuries ago, after picking fights with the wrong people. Seija had been the runt of the brood ? the scrawniest amanojaku of the lot ? yet she was the only one who reached adulthood. The thought always made her smile.

But for as long as she could remember, Seija had suffered. Her body was weaker than average for an amanojaku, and despite picking her victims carefully, she could never run away fast enough when things turned sour. Amanojaku were acceptable targets, and other youkai took great glee in tormenting her. It was the price that came with being a symbol of hate.

She tried training herself to get stronger, but nothing ever helped; once she got caught, there was nothing she could do to fight back. All she could do was cower and hope it?d be over with soon. Even when spell card rules were introduced, complex and beautiful patterns were beyond her, and her dodging skills left a lot to be desired. Seija?s place in Gensokyo?s society was right at the bottom, where she was expected to stay quiet and behave, or suffer the consequences.

But amanojaku can?t just sit back and behave. Seija needed hatred and suffering in her life to survive, so she looked for other ways to get stronger. She taught herself how to read, then scanned book after book in search of a miracle. Seija wanted power. She wanted so much power no one would dare cross her again. She wanted to see her tormentors? faces when she finally turned the tables. The thought kept her going for centuries.

Then at last, at the end of an otherwise unremarkable year, she found a lead. A tiny book on miracles she?d found at the back of a shop had a footnote on the Miracle Mallet, the magical tool from the tale of Issun Boushi. The footnote implied it really had existed, and could be found somewhere in Gensokyo today.

Seija?s imagination ran wild. She spent the next few years collecting as much information as she could about Issun Boushi and the Miracle Mallet. If she had the power of miracles on her side, maybe she could do more than just humiliate her tormentors. Maybe she could change everything. Show all of Gensokyo how it felt to suffer. Yes, she could turn Gensokyo?s power structure upside down, and put herself at the top. The ideas buzzed through her head, doubling and tripling at an alarming rate. She would become the most feared amanojaku in history. All she needed was that mallet.

She was desperate, but didn?t want to admit it. When Seija ran out of books to read on the mallet, she switched to talking to people. She was excellent at luring her victims into agreeing with her, and getting them to admit their darkest desires. It was part of her job as an amanojaku. But coaxing information out of people and just leaving them afterwards turned out to be the hardest part of her investigation. It taught her a lot of things about verbal manipulation, and how to hold back her primal urges. She followed rumours, found the right people, backtracked a bit, and found herself in the World of Oni.

It was a great place for an amanojaku. Despite the name, it was just a ramshackle underground town, full of oni partying day and night. There was no sun, and the residents never seemed to sleep. No sunlight and no rest meant lots of darkness and despair lurking in the shadows, so Seija took the opportunity to milk some hatred off a few oni. After successfully persuading one of them to break a beer bottle over their partner?s head (and getting herself banned from half the taverns for drunk and disorderly behaviour) she ran across town, and started lurking in one of the few quiet drinking holes.

It was a small tavern, with barely anyone in it. The bartender had a permanent frown on his face, and for good reason. The beer was awful. The sake even worse. Seija glugged it down, and became their only regular.

At least, until the person she was looking for turned up.

He was a male oni, with slim glasses and a wide smile, and as luck would have it, this turned out to be his local. Apparently it was the only place in the World of Oni where you could get some peace and quiet. His table was constantly covered in scraps of paper, and various academic essays on the inchling race. Papers all written by him, of course. He was the only scholar interested in that area of research. Seija bought him a few drinks, and got him talking. Soon they were meeting up every day, sharing their passion for the inchling people. Or at least that?s how Seija wanted it to look. It took a lot of self control to stop herself ridiculing him.

It was a lot easier than she expected, in the end. He enjoyed getting attention off a cute girl, and once he got talking, Seija could just sit back and let him rabble on.

?The inchlings are fascinating creatures,? he?d say. ?Utterly admirable. I?ve never seen such a hardworking race in all my life. Such a shame my fellow oni see them as mere pests. I think it?s a great honour to be visited by an inchling, and have some of your leftovers stolen away in the night.?

Seija would just nod, and sip her vile beer.

?Why one time, let me tell you, I opened my cupboard door and there was one right there, stuffing a rice grain down his top. He froze the moment I locked eyes on him, and I thought the poor thing would die of fright. So I said to him, ?Don?t be afraid, I?m a scholar. I want to talk to you. In exchange, I?ll give you a whole bag of rice.? And after that, me and the little fellow had an agreement. He?d come to my house and answer all my questions, and in return I?d give him as much rice as he could carry.?

Maybe bribery worked well on inchlings.

?After a few months of this, he started telling me his life story. He used to be a guard at the royal palace, but was let go after getting involved in a major scandal. The palace?s exact location is kept a secret from most inchlings, but he knew it. He wouldn?t tell me where it was, of course, noble creature he was, but apparently it was a glorious building, made out of top quality wooden crates and-?

?Major scandal?? Seija was interested. ?What major scandal??

The scholar?s eyes twinkled. ?Well! What a scandal it was! Who would?ve thought inchling society could be so outrageous. Nearly ten years ago there was a big fuss in the palace when the inchling queen was caught in the throes of passion with someone who wasn?t the king! It was her personal advisor, a member of the Hikona family, and it turned out the two of them had been meeting in secret for the last fifteen years. Fifteen years! That takes a lot of effort, if you ask me. Naturally the king was distraught. He had the advisor executed, and the queen imprisoned until she passed away a few years later. There were rumours one of the royal heirs was actually their child, and my inchling friend told me that he and a few of his colleagues were ordered by the queen to send a child away to the Hikona?s safe house. Apparently the child died of fever not long afterwards. Quite depressing, isn?t it??

It took a few more days to get him talking about the Miracle Mallet. The scholar frowned, and scratched his nose with a long fingernail. ?It supposedly exists. To be honest, this is the one area I haven?t researched enough. What I have gathered is, if it does exist, only blood descendants of Issun Boushi can use it. Which would be the royal family: the Sukunas. However!? He grinned, and leaned forward. ?About a month ago I came across what looked like a family tree, and a list of ancestors and descendants from several centuries ago. From what little I could decipher, it was some attempt at keeping birth and death records. And what was interesting was the Sukuna family was originally the branch family. At some point Issun Boushi?s direct descendants lost power and handed over the throne. I would estimate it happened around the time the inchling race entered the World of Oni.?

Well, that was interesting. ?Who were the original descendants then??

?The Hikona family, oddly enough. They?re essentially the Sukuna?s branch family now, and usually act as political advisors. With that in mind, someone with the best chance of being compatible with the Miracle Mallet, should it exist, would be from the Hikona family. Or possibly both the Sukuna and Hikona family. Maybe if that illegitimate child hadn?t died, they would have had the perfect genes! Such a waste.?

A waste indeed. Seija sunk back in her chair, disappointed. ?Do you know anything else about that kid? Did they have any kids of their own or whatever??

?Of course not, they were only a child! Inchlings mature at a similar rate to humans, so they wouldn?t have been old enough to have children.?

All this stuff about genetics was helpful, but Seija was eager to get to the good stuff. ?So is that everything you know about the mallet??

The scholar took a sip of beer, and looked like he was contemplating something. Then he cleared his throat, and lowered his voice to a whisper. ?Actually? I have a rare scroll that I think contains the exact location of the mallet, if it exists.?

Seija kept her voice level. ?Really??

?Yes, but it?s written in the ancient inchling language, and I?m having a lot of trouble deciphering it. Linguistics and cryptography isn?t really my forte. I?m hoping to have it cracked within a few hundred years.?

Too long. That thing was her golden ticket to the Miracle Mallet. Seija was growing impatient with the scholar and his tiresome lectures. She needed that scroll. ?Show it to me,? she said. ?I might be able to read it.?

And the idiot did. He came in the next day with the scroll tucked under his arm. Seija opened it up, and confirmed it was the real thing. Then as soon as he got up to order more drinks, she snuck out of the tavern and out of his life forever, the scroll safe in her hands.

Once she?d put some distance between herself and the tavern, Seija unrolled the scroll and checked it again. The text was totally unreadable, he was right about that, but her intuition told her this was the one. This thing held the key to the Miracle Mallet?s location. She just had to find someone who could read it.

*****
The sunlight hurt her eyes when she floated back into Gensokyo. Her tiny den was the same as always, covered in books and paper and weird junk. She shoved it all onto the floor, and placed the scroll on the table.

Originally Seija wanted to start looking for a linguist right away, but she had to wait a few days after bumping into some tengu. They recognised her, and Seija had her head smashed against a rock for a few hours. Once her skull finally healed, she went for a walk around the Misty Lake, and overheard two dumbass fairies discussing recent events in the Human Village.

Apparently the book lender?s daughter, Kosuzu Motoori, has some kind of nifty new power. The power to read any text, no matter what the language, and it was causing havoc.

Seija didn?t believe in fancy things like fate or destiny, but things were slotting together a bit too conveniently. Was a stronger youkai watching her, and manipulating her movements? She had to be careful. That afternoon she dug out a large straw hat to hide her horns, put on a cloak, and brought the scroll into the Human Village.

It wasn?t a pleasant experience ? it was a sunny autumn day in the village, and people were smiling as they mulled around. Children played in the streets and the elderly chatted in circles. The happiness in the air made Seija want to be sick, and she longed to run into the back alleys and go mock some homeless people. But she held her head high, and located the shop she needed ? Suzunaan. An otherwise unremarkable building near a canal.

The shop was dark and stank of paper, and had this rich, sinister air that made Seija feel at ease. A girl sat behind a desk near the back of the shop, reading a book. A gramophone played crackling jazz music. Was this Kosuzu Motoori? She seemed very young. Tricking human children was generally frowned upon in the amanojaku community. They were too easy, to start with, and once the parents found out it rarely ended well. It was the sort of thing desperate amanojaku did. But she wasn?t here to trick Kosuzu. She was here as a customer.

The girl looked up, and noticed her. ?Hello! Can I help you??

 Seija grinned. ?I?m here to see Kosuzu Motoori.?

?Me?? The girl tilted her head. ?What for??

So she was Kosuzu Motoori. Her voice made her sound like she was in her late teens. Good, old enough to think for herself, but too inexperienced to have any common sense. ?Is it true you can read anything??

Kosuzu?s eyes lit up. ?Yes, I can! I only found out recently though, so I don?t know if I can really read anything, but so far I?ve understood all the books put in front of me. Who told you??

?Oh, rumours. Gensokyo?s a small place.? Seija tossed the scroll onto the desk. ?Can you read this for me??

Kosuzu picked up the scroll and opened it. She didn?t check for traps or curses. What a gullible human.

?This is my?? Kosuzu frowned, and peered at the text, ?final? testament? As one of the few surviving inchlings from that day. We, who desired too much and brought about our own destruction? Is this right??

?Yes!? Seija punched the air, and nearly dislodged her hat. ?Ah!? She grabbed it in time, and fixed it back in place. That was close. ?Yes, that?s what I?d hoped to hear. I can?t read it, of course, being a simple human. Uh, human. You know what I mean. I need it for my research. Can you translate it for me??

?Well, I?ve never tried translation before, but?? Kosuzu smiled. ?This is very long. Are you sure you want me to translate all of it??

?Just the stuff about the Miracle Mallet will do.?

?Okay? hmm? the language is pretty verbose, so once I write it out in Japanese it probably won?t take up too much space. Come back in three weeks. I?ll have it done by then. Um, it might cost a bit though??

Seija glanced around the shop. The books stacked behind Kosuzu had a forbidding aura about them. Human hearts were easy to read, especially one full of curiosity. Kosuzu Motoori was probably a book collector. ?I?ll give you the scroll if you do it,? suggested Seija. ?It?s heavy and a pain to lug around.?

Kosuzu gasped. ?Really??

Seija ignored the stab of self-disgust making someone happy gave her. ?Really.? She turned to the door. ?See you. I?ll be back in three weeks.?

?Ah, of course! Thank you!?

Seija returned two weeks later instead. Kosuzu smiled when she saw her. ?You?re back early, but don?t worry, I finished translating the excerpt this morning! Hang on while I get it from my room.? She returned with a sheet of paper. The translation fitted on one side. ?Here, tell me what you think.?

Seija glanced over it, heart pounding.

It was here. A full description of how the inchling race fell into the World of Oni. They?d overused the mallet?s power, and it finally ran out once they requested a luxurious castle. The castle turned on its head, and plunged them into the World of Oni. The second half of the story talked about their decision to seal the mallet within the castle, and to leave it to rot. The author hoped that one day, once the mallet recharged, they could use it again, and be more cautious next time.

She had everything she needed now.

Finally, Seija?s revolution could begin.

*****
She returned to the World of Oni, and began hunting for inchlings. When the bells signalled late evening, they began scurrying through the shadows, snatching food and materials whenever no one was looking. Catching one turned out to be easy. Seija waited until she saw a long line of them moving through the gutter, and grabbed one near the back.
 
?Please don?t kill me!? It was a female, and she looked terrified. Seija held her in one hand, and enjoyed the kick of power it gave her.

?I need to know more about the Hikona family,? said Seija. ?Tell me everything you know.?

?The Hikona??? The inchling could hardly believe it. ?Why the Hikona family? I dunno how you know about them, but we all hate them. Them and the royal family. We?re out here risking our lives every evening, and they always get the best food and cloth.?

?Do you know where their safe house is?? asked Seija.

?Safe house? No? I didn?t know they had one. Um??

Seija tightened her grip. ?Know anyone who does??

The inchling panicked. ?Don?t hurt me? please?!?

?I won?t if you answer my questions. Direct me to someone who knows where the Hikona safe house is.?

?All right, all right! Let me go and I?ll tell you!?

Seija resisted the urge to torment her further. There?d be plenty of opportunities to hurt people once she got the mallet. But she pinched the inchling?s arm between her thumb and index finger anyway, just to scare her. ?Tell me.?

?He lives behind the umbrella maker?s place to the east, in a tin box. Now let me go, please!?

?Hmm.? Seija sneered. ?Why should I??

The inchling shrieked. ?You said! You said! I have children! I need to feed them!?

?All right, all right.? Seija giggled, and put her down. The inchling sprinted away as fast as she could, and disappeared. Seija had no idea if she?d told the truth, but it was worth a try. She could always catch another one if it failed.

But it turned out there was a little tin box behind the umbrella maker?s house, and the inchling living inside knew all about the Hikona family?s safe house. He looked tired, and wasn?t afraid of Seija. ?I?ve got no job,? he explained. ?I can?t decide whether I should go scavenging and get crushed, or just sit here and wait for death.? He seemed happy to chat, and told Seija everything she needed to know.

His sister worked at the safe house as a servant, and she used to come over regularly to complain about her colleagues. Things had fallen apart in the Hikona safe house after the mistress was crushed by an oni in a gruesome accident. The young girl the mistress adopted had been no use at all, choosing to hide in her room and sew all day instead of earning money. The servants had talked of selling her to a brothel at one point, but decided to just make off with all the gold and silver in the house.

?The young girl?? asked Seija ?What young girl??

?I dunno much about her, but the mistress took her in nearly ten years ago. She helped out with sewing a bit, but she was basically a pampered little pet. The mistress never let her outside the mansion by herself, and told the servants not to make friends with her. My sister said the mistress never had kids of her own, and probably wanted one, or something.?

Nearly ten years ago. That matched what that scholar said, about the child who died of fever. Except she hadn?t died. She was still alive, with the perfect genetic combination to use the mallet.

?I?m not telling you where that house is,? he said. ?I don?t care what you do to me. We inchlings don?t give away important locations like that to anyone, least of all big people.?

?Then bring the girl to me,? said Seija. ?I don?t care what method you use. Tell her I have important information about the history of the inchling race, and I need to tell her about it in person. Bring her to me and I?ll reward you.?

So he did, and that was how Seija met Shinmyoumaru Sukuna, and came to live in the sky with her.

*****
Seija gave herself a role, a new personality, and played it perfectly. So well that she was sick of it by the middle of winter, and started spending less and less time in the castle. Being around Shinmyoumaru and her bubbling happiness every day wore away at her. She dug out her old pipe, and smoked for the first time in several hundred years. She picked on other weak youkai down in Gensokyo, and got beaten up for the trouble. The stress of constantly being nice to someone, and seeing them smile and thank you, and like you, was the worst thing in the world.

So when Shinmyoumaru appeared on the stone block that evening, and asked her questions, Seija couldn?t hold back anymore.

?I?m not an oni, no,? she?d said, feeling her plan unravel before her eyes. ?I?m an amanojaku.?

She was ruining everything, but it felt good. It felt so good to give Shinmyoumaru a little bit of the truth, and to feel the shock oozing out of her body. It nourished Seija. Why not go all the way and tell her the whole story? Not only that, but I lied to you about the inchlings? true history, and you?re not even a proper princess, you little illegitimate rat! You?re just a walking breathing miracle dispenser! Be grateful I can be bothered to feed you! It would feel amazing. Shinmyoumaru?s face would be unforgettable! But then Seija?s revolution would never happen, and she would have to accept being weak forever. All that hard work for nothing.

Shinmyoumaru stared at her. ??An amanojaku? Like in that story about the melon princess??

Seija was glad she knew that story. ?Just like that one,? she said. ?Like the amanojaku in all the scariest versions.?

Shinmyoumaru was confused. Seija could taste it. Upset or afraid would?ve been better, but oh well. She definitely wasn?t happy, and that was better than nothing. Seija?s hate-starved body would take anything negative at this point. She hadn?t planned to tell Shinmyoumaru any of this. The princess was supposed to stay ignorant, blindly following Seija?s suggestions until they came out top. But there was no turning back now. She probably would?ve worked it out eventually.

Finally, Shinmyoumaru spoke. ??Why didn?t you tell me earlier??

Seija giggled. She couldn?t help it. ?Because who?d want to team up with an amanojaku??

Mature amanojaku held back. They planned, calculated, and made the payoff as good as possible. Sometimes the hatred and misery they milked off one victim was enough for decades. Then they got away without a trace, never to be seen again.

Childish amanojaku gave in to their urges, annoyed anyone and everyone, and died early deaths. Seija was going to be the greatest amanojaku Gensokyo had ever seen, so she needed flawless willpower. Everything had to be perfect. No excuses.

Why did she have to go ruin everything because of something like stress?

Shinmyoumaru left the block after that. Seija stayed up until she finished smoking, and watched the sky change colour. Dawn would break soon. She emptied her pipe over the edge, and got up. She wanted to sleep. And after that, she?d think.

Her books looked strange. That was the first thing that jumped out when Seija entered her room. The books were partly for research, but mostly to hide the scroll translation. Seija had put it at the back of the most mundane book she?d found ? the boring youkai encyclopaedia. She had a few other encyclopaedias dotted around the room, with better pictures and more youkai descriptions, which she assumed Shinmyoumaru would choose she ever got curious. But as she looked around the room, the realisation sank in.

The one book she didn?t want Shinmyoumaru reading had disappeared.

Seija sprinted out of the room.

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