Chapter Text
"There, are you satisfied?" Reimu ask Marisa, she had been head patting her for a few minutes.
"Um... yeah, thanks," a satisfied Marisa says, she put back her hat on her head, the warmth of Reimu's hand on her hair is still there. Now, the two sat in silence, no one knows how to proceed after that. Marisa look away from Reimu, her mind is on cloud nine while Reimu watch her a bit then look to her front, watching the swaying leaves of the bushes and trees of the shrine. Now what? Reimu thought. What do you do after you finished head patting someone? Leave? I mean, this is her home, and she doesn't have any intention of going out today. Oh well, maybe she could just sat here, enjoying the calm and quiet for tod-
"Oh my, Reimu and Marisa, how early for the two of you to meet," a voice came from behind the two. Reimu knows who that voice belong to. Someone that would come abruptly, just to pester her around, or order her to do her biddings because to keep the balance of Gensokyo at stake. Reimu, without turning around, asks,
"What do you want, Yukari?"
"Fufufu, is it wrong of me to check up on my favourite person?" Yukari giggles.
Yukari Yakumo, one of the Sages of Gensokyo. She maintain the the balance of Gensokyo's order. Despite that, she seldom act on her own accord, she would give order to her shikigami or the appointed Hakurei Miko to do her biddings for her. Only when it is necessary, she will act herself. She have golden long hair (near its tip, several red ribbon are tied to it), purple eyes and on top of her head, a pale pink mob cap with a thin red ribbon rest. She wears a deep purple dress that hugs her body. She also carries around her pink lace parasol with her, despite being able to move around freely by using her gaps.
"Whenever you came here, you always ordered me around, take some of my food or just trying to annoyed me. Nothing good ever comes when you're around," stoically, the Hakurei Miko reply.
"Oh, how cruel you are, Reimu," she pulls out her paper fan, place it near her face. She sniffles, "I'm just here, wanting to see how you are doing, and this is how you treat your guest? Has the Hakurei hospitality died when you taken over?"
"All right, all right! What is it, Miss Yukari? Is there anything that I could help you with?" Reimu turns around and look at Yukari. Only her upper body was out, while her lower is hidden inside her gap.
"Well, I was just wondering if you have the thing that I've asked you before?"
"Hm? What are you talking about?" Reimu tilts her head, "I don't remember you asked me for anything?"
"Oh Reimu, are you becoming forgetful? Did you not remember that night, a few moons ago? When you have to eat out?"
"Eat out? Last time I did that wa... ah," Reimu remembers. Noticing this, Yukari continues,
"I see that you have recalled. Now, I remembered that I personally asked you to bring me the book that he was carrying?" from sniffles, Yukari returns to her normal mode.
"Ah, well... you see... I kinda forgot about it...," Reimu scratches her head.
"Oh my, that's no good, Reimu. You know that when you've gotten a job, you have to complete it. This is why people are currently losing their trust on the Hakurei name."
"Hey, I do my job as a Youkai Exterminator well. People haven't been coming here is because you youkai kept coming here! I overheard some of them called this place a Youkai Shrine!" Reimu corrects the gap youkai.
"Well, the previous shrine maiden managed to overcome that," she reminisce for a bit before continuing, "Anyway, that is not important. Would you please retrieve that book and bring it to me?" Yukari request.
"Can I not do that now? I just want to relax after what happened today..."
"Well, of course you can. We could prolonged this for much longer until the situation became even bigger than it ever was!" Yukari teasingly says.
"All right, all right! I get it. I'll go find that book," Reimu stands up and stretches. She starts to move forward before turning to Marisa, "Oh yeah, Marisa, you want to come with?" she asks.
"Oh, no, that's fine," Marisa look at Reimu before turning her head away, "I'm going to chill here before going back home," and with that, Reimu moves to the place where the book(?) last was.
"It's not there...." the dejected Reimu said. After a couple of 'not here' and 'not there', Reimu returns back to the Hakurei Shrine with nothing in her hand. Today has been a total bust. What will she tell that hag gap now? She'll definitely tease her about her failure as a shrine maiden. But, in the first place, was that guy even carrying anything in the first place? Reimu tried to remember but nothing came to mind, it was pretty dark at the time and only the moon were their witness. Also, does she really need Reimu's help? Couldn't Yukari just, go there and grabbed it by herself? Of course not, she's going to go on about 'the shrine's duties' and whatever. Sigh.
Arriving at the shrine, Reimu could overhear something. Inside the shrine, muffled sounds. However, she could hear Aunn's voice clearly,
"S-stop that! Those are Miss Reimu's!" and her mind went to overdrive. Is someone here trying to steal her stuff? On this sacred(no-money) shrine? There's no way that she will allowed that! With a sprint, Reimu quickly went to her sleeping quarters and quickly opens the sliding door, "What's going on?!" she shouts. And in front of her, she sees it. The perpetrator(s) of this crime. Familiar person(s). The black magician (currently in her hands are a pair of white-ish bloomers that she owns) and the purple hag (currently in her hands, a pair of panties (ranging from red-white stripes with ribbons to only strings) that the wind priestess have given her after she snoop around and finding out the lack of cute panties that Reimu owns). The other party who tried to stop the two, the komainu of the shrine, her eyes are watery. Seeing this bizarre situation, Reimu calls out to Aunn,
"Aunn, get behind me," hearing that, Aunn quickly runs behind Reimu and with that, with a raise hand, and the iconic 'bomb' sound, she screams out,
"Spirit sign: Fantasy Seal!"
to vanquish the evil lay in front of her.
"So? What do you have to say for your defense?" an angry Reimu question. After the whole ordeal is over, Marisa and Yukari (now out of her gap) are sitting in a seiza position, the 'evidence' laid in front of them. The two of them look worse for wear. Aunn was asked to leave and focused on her other chores.
"W-well, there's a perfectly good reason for this," Marisa eyes turned away, not wanting to meet directly with Reimu's gaze.
"Oh, is that so? Would you be so kind and tell me please, Miss Marisa?
"Well, you know... it's that... right?" Marisa mumbles, trying her hardest to not answer. Reimu doesn't like this non-answer from her.
"Ma.Ri.Sa." her voice turn stern.
"Well, I just wanted to know what's under your skirt, that's all!" and with that, a bonk.
"You're just...!" Reimu's trying her best to contain her anger, then she turns to the (smiling) Yukari, "And for you," she points, "Say your last word before I give it to you."
"Fufufu, it's simple, Reimu," she still smiles, "That's because I like you~" and then, a bonk for her as well.
"Honestly, what is wrong with you two!" Reimu shouts, "After I left the shrine, is this what you've been doing all this time?!" she stomps her feet, "I don't understand at all! Why have you been acting weird all this time, Marisa?"
"Weird?! Reimu, I've never done anything weird!" Marisa retaliates.
"Never?! Have you not seen yourself this past few days? How you've been acting? Asking me for an a-armpit riceball, giving lewd remarks about my body and now this! And you dare say you're not acting strange?"
"My, is that true, Marisa?" Yukari, astonished by the development.
"We-well, you're not wrong... but this is, you know... for... ah, magic! It's for the development of magic!"
"You just went 'ah' didn't you!? You just thought of that, right?!"
"That's not important right now. Right now, I'm curios what's underneath your skirt!"
"HUH?!" Reimu could feel a blood vessel pop from her head.
"I mean, right now I don't know what's underneath your skirt right now and it's driving me crazy," a chuckling Yukari could be heard from the side line, but the two didn't realize.
"What I have under here is of no concern of you!"
"It might not be, but I'm just worried! Worried that under that cloth, there isn't any cloth protecting your special place!" another bonk.
"What are you even implying!? Of course I'm wearing something underneath right now!"
"Well, I don't know that! For all I know you could have gone commando right now!"
"Then I'll ask you this, Marisa: are you pantyless right not?"
"Wh-what?" Marisa starts to blush, "Of course not!" after that, Reimu hold Marisa by the collar.
"Then why do you think that I would be shameless enough to go no-pan, Marisa?!"
"We-well... that," Marisa glances to where Yukari is and Yukari kept on giggling. Noticing that, Reimu eyes widen, she let go of Marisa's collar.
"D-did you tell her... Yukari?"
"My, whatever do you mean, Reimu~?" a blush form from Reimu's face and with that, another spell card comes out.
After kicking the two interloper out from her room, Reimu started cleaning the mess that the two had made (she doesn't trust the two after they had scavenge her drawer for underwear). Finishing, she comes out of the room, only Marisa is sitting outside in a seiza position, on top of her thighs are stacks of stone used for punishing. She walks over to where Marisa is.
"Where did that old hag go?" Reimu asks the tortured magician.
"Sh-she said that she had he-her fun and gapped off," Marisa hoarsely says, her voice strains due to the weights on her thighs.
"That hag!" Reimu angrily click her tongue. Then, she looks to where Marisa is. She sits next to her, "And for you, have you learned your lesson?"
"Ye-yes, I do. Can you please remove th-this stone, please?"
"Hmm~ I don't think that you've repent enough. Maybe I'll add another stack here~" Reimu place her finger on top of the stacks stone and gently put some pressure on it, in turn, pushing the pressure on to Marisa's thigh.
"Ow ow ow ow ow! I am! I am! Please, Reimu!" looking at the pleading magician, Reimu sigh. She had her fun. So, she slowly remove the stones from Marisa's thigh.
"Ahh~~ thank you, Reimu~ It feels great not having anything on your thighs like that~. I can't even feel my thighs anymore," despite having remove the stone, Marisa kept her seiza sitting.
"Oh really? Poke," Reimu gently poke Marisa's thigh, which gives tingles to Marisa's thighs.
"Ahhhh, stop that, Reimu!" even if Marisa tried to run, she couldn't, because her legs is sleeping right now. Reimu stops after she felt that Marisa had enough punishment. Then, she stands up, "Wait here," Reimu says then walk off somewhere. After a while, she brought out three rice ball. She handed one to Marisa.
"Oh thanks," Marisa opens her mouth to eat but then stops after looking at Reimu staring at her, "W-what's wrong, Reimu?"
"Hmm? Oh, I just wanted to see you eat it, that's all," non-chalantly Reimu answers.
"... did you put something in this?" question the magician.
"Well, if you don't want it, I can always take it ba-" Reimu try reaching for the rice balls but quickly Marisa pull away.
"N-no, I want it! Thanks for the meal!" munch the magician. She chew and chew with the staring of the miko. After an awkward while, she finished her first one. Then, Reimu asked,
"How was it?"
"It was normal. Nothing special," Marisa answers honestly.
"... I see," Reimu closes her eyes, "... so you can't tell the difference..." Reimu mumbles.
"Hm? What was that?"
"Nothing~" after that, Reimu lay her head on Marisa's thigh.
"Ow ow ow Reimu, why did you do that for?!" cry the magician.
"Hush you, this is payment for the rice ball," she lay there, watching the magician eat her freshly made rice ball, a discomforting warmth comes from her armpit. Then, she turn to the side. How strange. Even though Marisa had done those questionable things to her, she doesn't hate her for it. Sure, she might be angry at her, but she could never hate Marisa. Rather, the opposite is happening. She might even enjoy her (weirdly new) company. It's weird. Why is this even happening? What could have changed? With a complicated mind, Reimu closes her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Marisa's thighs.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
After Reimu had left, Marisa is left alone with Yukari (Aunn is here as well, but she's currently sleeping according to Reimu). She still feels a bit embarrassed after the head patting deal is over. I mean, it felt good, but still embarrassing to do.
"Well, I guess it's time," Yukari crack her knuckles. She then gets off the gap that she usually uses and walk inside.
"? Where are you going?" Marisa asks. Yukari giggles.
"Why, isn't it obvious? A panty inspection of course," and with that, Yukari headed for Reimu's sleeping quarters. Marisa sits there, dumbfounded by what she had heard but quickly got out of her stupor. "Wait, Yukari!" Marisa got up and follow Yukari from behind.
Quietly, the two reached their destination: Reimu's sleeping quarter. Slowly, Yukari open the sliding door, revealing Aunn currently sleeping in the middle. Marisa scan the room to find their bounty: Reimu's drawer. Sneakily, the two of them walk past the sleeping guard dog and reached their destination.
"Couldn't you just gap your way here? You don't really need to do all this," Marisa asks softly, not to wake up Aunn.
"Well, what's the fun in doing that?" Yukari answers, "But still, I didn't realized that you would follow me like this."
"I can't just let you roam free like this, you might do something that she doesn't like, and I'm here to stop you. After all, I'm Reimu's friend!" Marisa smugly says. However, her heart stings saying the word friend.
"And your true motives?"
"I want to see what underwear she wears on a daily basis," Marisa quickly replies. Curse me, why did I say that?! Marisa quickly shuts her mouth.
"Fufufu, I like how honest you are to your desire~ Just like that girl. Well, would you do the honor?" Yukari shows to her drawer. Marisa gulps. Opening this drawer, Marisa would see what Reimu wears. She sometimes able to steal glances whenever they're flying but it's always the same one: bloomers. Well, Marisa also had bloomers as underwear as well. She's curios to see if Reimu had any other different ones, because even Marisa herself had different sets that she wears (because she was laughed at by the other magicians on one of their sleep over). Even now, she wears her 'lucky underwear' in case things might be different today. Marisa puts her hand on the drawer but before she pulls it open, her heart wavers. What will happen if she opens this? She would be able to see a side of Reimu that she could never see. But, if Reimu finds out what she had done, she may hate her for this, and that is something that Marisa wouldn't want to happen. She hesitated and Yukari could sense the hesitation in Marisa's heart. Because of this, Yukari gets behind Marisa and place her hand on Marisa's hand.
"Don't worry, Marisa," Yukari whispers softly to her ear, "You're not alone," Yukari reassures. She's right. Marisa is not alone right now. If anything happens, she could just blame Yukari for it! It was Yukari plan in the first place and she was just an innocent bystander to all this. She just happened to be there at the time! How smart of you, Marisa! With new resolve, the Pandora Box(Reimu's drawer) is open.
"Wo-woah!" Marisa excitedly hold in her hand to be a pair of bloomers. Even though she had the same pair, it feels different knowing that Reimu was the one that wore this. What would happen if she were to press this to her face right now? No one would be mad at her right?
"My, she still wears that granny panties~ My, my, and she said I was the one who is old~" Yukari look at what Marisa is holding. Marisa forgots that Yukari is here right now. Looks like she will have to do that some other time... "Well, let see if she had gotten a new pair on here an- What's this?" she fishes out in her hand a pair that Marisa had never seen: a red-white shimapan, "Oh my, so she does have normal ones~" she aired the shimapan out in the open. Marisa imagine what the Reimu in her head would look like with that.
...
not good, it's too fitting for her. She doesn't want anyone to see her with that on. If anything, that would easily enticed everyone if she were to flash it.
"Oh my, oh my~ How lewd of her~," then Yukari fishes out another pair.
? Why did she just pull out strings? Wait, is that the fabled?! Imagining Reimu wearing that pair is too much for Marisa and she screams out mentally. Not good, Reimu! That's no good! If you wear that while you're flying, everyone is going to see! That is not something proper for a shrine maiden to wear! I can't believe that Reimu would even buy this out of her own pocket!
"I can't believe that girl had an interest in this~ You would have think otherwise if you look at her superficially," Yukari wipes a tear out of her eyes, "Well, this is still tame considering that she had already went no panty before."
Yea-yeah, this is still fine. It's just like Yukari said, this is better than the time that Reimu wear no panties.
...
what did she just said? Did Marisa misheard?
"Wh-what did you just say, Yukari?" Marisa needed confirmation.
"Hm? Did I say anything?" Yukari plays coy.
"Yo-you said that Reimu went... no underwear... before?"
"Oh my, did I say that out loud~? Reimu is going to be mad at me~" Yukari says in a sing song manner.
"Wh-when did this happen?!" Marisa shouts. She didn't remembered the sleeping komainu in the room.
"Well~ it was a really long time ago~ it was during the Summer when a guerrilla storm happen, after she went out of her way to promote the shrine for the Summer Festival~" Yukari reminisces, "It was during that time, because she was sweaty and because of the storm she hadn't the chance to dry her clothes~."
"... wait, wasn't that just last Summer?!" Marisa recalled.
She was there at the shrine before. Reimu went out to the Human Village to promote the upcoming Summer Festival that she wanted to opened up (because she heard that the rivaling shrine was opening one themselves). After waiting for a while, a sudden rainstorm happened and slowly, Reimu quickly scomes home. After that, because of the sudden downpour, Reimu didn't have any readily available clothes and she drapped herself with only a towel.
"You mean to tell me it was then?!"
"Fufufu, it may be, may be not~" Yukari teases, "However, it is true that girl sometimes had gone out of her way to not wear anything underneath~" she clarifies.
That means that... right now is...
"Right now, Reimu might not be wearing anything underneath as well~" Yukari whisper to Marisa.
Today, Marisa's mind expanded. She can clearly see the universe, playing inside of her head. Many scenario of Reimu porudly flaunting herself. Her lower lips, to be seen by the masses from the time she flies. How lewd! Marisa's blood rushes through her head. Her mind a bit dizzy from the imagination. But (un)luckily, there was a shrieking noise coming from the middle of the room. They both turn to see that the Aunn, the Komainu has woken up.
"Ah!" she points to the two, "That's Miss Reimu's underwear!" she screams.
"Oh my, it looks like her guard dog has awaken, what ever shall we do?" Yukari jokingly says.
"You can't do that! Miss Reimu doesn't like it when other people touches her stuff!" in a flurry, Aunn enters a stance. Then, with rapid movement she pounces. However, Yukari,
"Boop," with ease, push the Komainu away, prompting an 'Aunn' to come out. "Because of your incessant screaming, Marisa, now we have a problem on our hand."
"How do you expect me to stay calm after what you had just told me?!"
"That's not important right now. What should we do about her?" Yukari points to the Komainu. Currently, she is holding her back, her hand enters one of her gaps and placed in front of the komainu's head, preventing Aunn from moving forward. She struggles to get past Yukari's hand.
"Well, it seems that you're able to handle it on your own. We should just continue with our conversation while searching. Now, tell me more about this Reimu-" the two continues with their activities while Aunn is slowly starting to tear up. She screams about the items (underwear) that they are holding belong to Miss Reimu. And then,
"-!" Yukari removes her gaps (also her hand) from the head of the Komainu, making Aunn fall face first. Then, quickly the door slide open. Hearing the noise, Marisa turns to the opened door and there comes the Youkai Exterminator, the red slasher: Hakurei Reimu, in the flesh. She look at the two of them like walking garbage. Her face as if she's going to exterminate a minor pest. But, why is she looking over he-
...
oh, right! We're the pest! Wait, Reimu!
However, Reimu couldn't hear (or she refused to) and with her iconic 'bomb' sound, a spell card is used. Ah, an angry Reimu is nice too.
...
Hey everyone ★! How are you doing? Marisa here. Me? I'm doing fine. Right now, I'm being punished by my rival, Reimu. Currently, she is putting stones on top of my thighs. After she found out that I was snooping around on her (underwear) drawer, and after I asked her herself if she is not wearing any right now after Yukari implant the idea inside my head, Reimu is (lovingly) giving her punishment to me! How ruthless of her! Oh, now she's applying pressure to the stone! It hurts! Ow ow ow ow! But luckily, my wife is forgiving! After many sorrys, she forgives me! She removes the stone. And to reward for this, she bring out some rice ball for me! How kind of her! Well, time to eat!
...
except that Reimu is currently watching her right now, wanting to know what Marisa think of it. Well, at first Marisa was skeptical but there is no way that Reimu would put anything in this rice ball. After all, Reimu is not one to play with food. Well, time to eat!
...
it's the same as ever. Because of that, Marisa tells her as it is. Reimu mumbles something but Marisa wasn't able to catch that. Afterwards, Reimu lay her head on top of Marisa. Marisa would've been happy but right now her legs are asleep. Because of this, she couldn't feel anything from Reimu's head. How torturous...
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
'I like you'
Yukari says this to Reimu, the same thing she says everytime that she could meet with her. Today as well, she said the same three words. And again, another day, Reimu thinks that what she had said is a joke. But that's fine. That mean she could still keep the same status quo. After playing around in the shrine, Yukari left, and she enters her gap. However, she didn't come out. She stayed inside her gaps. She floats endlessly. She wanted to be left alone for a while. She remembers to a memory from the past, a memory before Reimu was even born,
It was XX, Yukari is sitting on top of top of the torii of the Hakurei Shrine. She is looking at the stairway leading to the shrine. For most, it would be as if she's looking at nothing, however, for Yukari, one of the sages, she is monitoring the Hakurei Barrier. Nothing of note for today either. She had been doing this after she had started this project, to create a safe haven for youkai. Even today, she monitors, in case there is something or someone that managed to break through it. During this, a voice called out to her,
"Ah! There you are, Yukari!" from below, a woman called out to her. Yukari had heard that same called everytime she was up here. The woman knows that she is up here. Because this is the spot that Yukari would be during this time. Without looking below, Yukari answers,
"Yes, yes, here I am~" sing songly, Yukari open her gap and enter. Immediately, she comes out and rest on top of it, like how one would sits on a hammock, she meet with the person in front of her.
She have long black hair tied to a ponytail, a red-white ribbon is holding it in place. Her brown eyes would remind you of the autumn acorn. What she wears would be a traditional miko garb, with white robe on top and scarlet hakama as pants. Surpisingly, her armpit is quite hidden from plain view. Her height is slightly smaller than Yukari. Her face, quite smooth for her age and no wrinkles could be seen. Seldom (if not never) she would wear any makeup. Her figure is quite petite. Despite that, she had un-comparable strength, strength that could rival even the gods if she wished to do so.
"Wow, that gap thing is quite handy. If I had that thing, shrine work would've been a breeze," -said. Yes, the person is none other than,
Hakurei -.
"You're not going to grow if you always rely on me like this~"
"I'm already a grown up, Yukari! You don't have to babied me anymore!" -said. It seems that she was only trying to make small talk. With a youkai no less.
The Hakurei has always been an eccentric. Youkai had always been a fear for Humans. As they should be. As a youkai life force had to come from the belief of humans. The only thing that could keep a youkai identity was the belief of human. Rumors. Anything that kept the word going. And the best way to for human to talk, to make a youkai stronger: is fear. Fear is the driving force for a youkai strength. The more that people are afraid of something, the stronger they are. How would someone be able to fight something that they are afraid of? They had to be incredibly stupid or incredibly strong to overcome it. And that is precisely what the Hakurei is.
The previous predecessor have always been strong. Given the blessing by the gods that they worship, they are set to always keep the balance of Gensokyo. To not let the youkai be strong while not letting the human overcome the youkai. You could even say that some of the youkais are tangibly working together with the Hakurei shrine. There were some that would cause hearsay as that, but everytime that happens, the Hakurei would prove to the naysayers that the Hakurei is there for the human. And everytime that happen, faith for the gods of Hakurei grew. Only in this recent generation, the youkais and human started to mingle. We don't know when it started, but what we do know is, it had already happened. Evident is by how open-minded of the youkai of now is. However, youkai cannot live off of words alone. They need to eat something. Something more tangible. Like meat. More accurately: human meat.
This is where Yukari comes in. Because of the Hakurei influence, more and more youkai have become weaker. Making it harder for them to live and sustain one self. That is because the Hakurei would protect the human from the Human Village, making it harder and harder for the youkai to survive. But, what about the human that is not from the village? Would the Hakurei protect them as well? And that is why, one of the reason that the barrier is build. There are other reason but this is a small one. With this, the Hakurei is still doing her business while the youkai would be able to survive.
"Yukari? Yukaaaari?" -called. Yukari come out of her thoughts and wondered what is going on, "So you weren't listening at all! Geez, you should listen to people when they are talking," she pouts. With an apology from Yukari, she continued, "There seems to be a crazy strong youkai near the outskirts of town, and I was wondering that if you wanted to come?"
"Ahaha, if I were there with you, then you would only rely and me and not do anything, would you?"
"A-ahaha why would you think that?" -eyes wandered. She looked at Yukari and folded, "Alright, alright! I'll do it alone! Geez, so stingy~" she placed her hands and on her head and walk away from the shrine, presumably to the direction of the youkai. Yukari had once thought of helping her, but that would be bad, wouldn't it? After all, she is a youkai herself. She would be aiding the Hakurei to kill her own kind. That would go against what she had wished for. However, that does not mean that she wouldn't stop an out of line youkai. If a youkai gets a bit rowdy, rowdy enough to tip the scale of Gensokyo, only then would she enter. But even then, she never had to get her hands dirty. Because after all,
"The Hakurei is strong," Yukari mumbled.
And like that, their relationship grew. She had been with her for as long as she could. Yukari had always been with the Hakurei. From old to now, she had always been there. Watching and monitoring. Sometimes aiding. The times when she's happy. The times when she is sad. The time where the two got drunk together. She will always be there. All of this for the sake of Gensokyo.
However, her heart betrayed her duties. She had done something that the Hakurei would consider taboo. Yukari, she had fallen for a human. More specifically, she had fallen for a Hakurei.
But a human cannot live with a youkai.
It is now night, the Hakurei is having a ceremony. The marriage between the Hakurei and a normal human. Yukari watches from the same tree that she always watch. She could watch the celebration unfold from here. From the previous Hakurei, to the previous Hakurei, and the previous Hakurei. She had watch it all. After the ceremony is over, the man of the Hakurei will only live with her until the birth of the new Hakurei and after that, he had to leave. The reason for that, is unknown. It had always been like that for the Hakurei. Tradition must be followed. Yukari will watch it unfold again. However, this time, it's different,
"Oh, there you are, Yukari," -said. Yukari turned around only to find the bride had slipped out of her ceremony.
"What are you doing here?" Yukari asked.
"I didn't see you anywhere at the banquet, so I searched for you, and lo and behold! Here you are, at your usual place."
"How do you know that I'm here?"
"Don't underestimate the intuition of a Hakurei!" she smugly pointed to herself. This, prompted Yukari to laugh.
"Sure, your gut feeling have always been correct. Well, what do you need of me? Is there something that the Hakurei need from a youkai?" she mockingly said. Yukari heart stings seeing her in a ceremonial garb. It reminds her that her time is up. That sooner or later she will ended up like the previous Hakurei. She opened her mouth,
"Why weren't you there at my ceremony?" -questioned, her arm crossed. A question that Yukari had known she would ask.
"That ceremony there is for humans only. There is no place for a youkai like me to enter," Yukari answered.
"You think so? Cause I see a lot of those tengus walking around, taking notes and whatnot for their next hit piece," she explained, "Besides, you look human. I'm sure that no one would paid you mind." what she said is true. Yukari had already spotted some tengus mingling around the place but they aren't doing anything, so she paid them no mind. And it's true what she said, she could easily enter the place and poses as a human. It's just that her heart stings if she did. She does not want to see the Hakurei of now marry to somebody else. Because if she did, that means the her time is nearing its end. And Yukari knew that. She had been trying to run away from her, to not see her during her small candle. The lit flame that is currently flickering on it's final wax. To not see someone that she fell in love with, weak and fragile. Because of that, she lied,
"Well, I don't want to see you acting all high and mighty after being able to score a man~"
"W-what, what are you on about!" -patted Yukari's back. It hurts, "An-anyway, come to the party if you can! I miss you," Yukari doesn't want to hear this right now.
"I think I'll stay here. You should hurry back, what would your husband think if you were to stay here for longed."
"I thought that you said that, so I brought this over!" she procured two glass and a sake bottle. The same sake bottle they drunk whenever to celebrate a special occasion.
"My, how daring for the bride to be out here, drinking the night away~ What would the husband think of this?"
"Relax, it's only a drink! And besides, it wouldn't be a true celebration if you weren't there. After all, we've been together for too long, it'll be a shame if we can't see each other as much after this." stop that. Don't say that, "So, a toast!"
"Fufufu, a toast," with a raised of a sake glass, the two spend the night, watching the party unfold before their very eyes.
A couple of months later, the baby was born. Yukari held the baby in her arms. The next generation of the Hakurei miko,
Hakurei Reimu.
Several year had passed, and - is training her daughter. She had been taught of her shrinely duties: how to clean, how to pray to the gods of the shrine, and teaching how to be kind to others. The Hakurei had always been an eccentric. They are one of the few people who could stand toe-to-toe with a youkai. Because of that, they are the one giving protection for the people in the human village.
Despite of that, the Hakurei are not monsters. They are kind. Evidently, on how they had been treating Yukari, a youkai. Instead of treating her like a monster, a youkai like anyone else, they had the capabilites to stand and talk with her. This is similar to the previous Hakurei. Despite them being the given the title 'Youkai Exterminator' they never discriminately go out of their way to kill any wandering youkai. Only if they were to harm the people of the Human Village would they act. And not only that, they are also the first to strike a conversation with them. It is strange. A human, mingling with a youkai. You would think only crazy people would do that. And that is what a Hakurei is. A crazy person. A daring person. A kind person. Another person that Yukari had fallen for. She watched the two, watched how - is giving her all, and to see the growth of the new generation miko. It brings a smile to her face. But also, pain in her chest. Because she knows, that time is running out. For the previous Hakurei.
She didn't expect it to be this soon.
It is raining. Yukari stands outside her gap, her parasol is open to shield her and another from the rain. A person is sitting down, leaning on a broken branch. Her body is covered in red and her stomach is punctured. Claw and bite marks could be seen on her shoulder, hand and stomach. Looking next to her, several beast-like creature lay dead, their claws and teeth have the same hue to the miko’s body. It’s clear what had transpired here.
“…why?” Yukari asked the still body, unsure whether she is still alive or not, “You know that this would happen… why would you still do this?” Yukari questioned. The previous Hakurei should have known, that when a new Hakurei is born, the old generation’s power would slowly be stripped away, so that the new generation Hakurei would garner its strength. That have always happened and is of no secret for the Hakurei. They had readily accept that this is their fate. Because of this, after training the new Hakurei, the previous generation would lay their body to rest, inside the shrine, trapped forever to not be seen by the people in the Human Village. She knows this. But, she still went out. Despite knowing, she still does her duties.
“… why?” Yukari again questioned. She doesn’t understand. Why does this Hakurei differ from the previous one? The previous one would have let the new generation handle her duties while she and Yukari would talk, the previous Hakurei would slowly succumb to old age. It is inevitable, but much better than dying earlier, and less gruesome than this. Yukari stood there, waiting for a response that would never come.
Except, by miracle, she still lives. A while after, a cough came from the previous Hakurei. Quickly, Yukari gets closer,
“You’re still alive?! Stay calm, I’ll administered aid no-“ before Yukari could do anything, - held Yukari’s hand with her (bloodied) hand. Yukari look to her face to see that she is smiling, blood coming out from her mouth.
“Yu…kari? Hahaha… I tho…ught yo…u would co…me,” another cough.
“Stop talking! We need to get you to someplace safe an-“
“Don’t,” hearing that, Yukari stop.
“… what do you mean? Why don’t you want me to save you…?”
“…beca…use my ti…me… is up…” cough, ”and you kn…ow that… don’t you?”
“I know… but this isn’t how you should have ended up… why did you go out, knowing that your only a human now?”
“Beca…use… we needed… the mo…ney,” another cough.
“You could have asked the village! They would have gladly lend you some!” Yukari shouts.
“I don…t want to… be indeb…ted anymo…re,”
“If so, then you could have asked me for help! Am I that much of nuisance to you?!” Yukari voice started to turn hoarse.
“… I… don’t wan…t you to k…ill your own… Thi…s is th…e duties of … a Hak…urei,”
“Then Reimu could’ve handled it! You know how strong she is right now! She is much stronger than you are right now!” tears started to swell. Hearing Reimu’s name, - smiled.
“Rei…mu… ahaha…” she laughed in between coughing, “She is indeed str…ong, but I coul…dn’t let her do t…his on her own..”
“Why couldn’t you?! Huh?! And why shouldn’t you?!” ‘the previous Hakurei does, you know they do,’ but Yukari kept quiet on those part.
“Becau…se… I’m her mother…”
Silence. Yukari knows that she had always differ from the previous Hakurei. The previous Hakurei is much more spartan in their training regime, in making the best, much stronger Hakurei than before. That’s why from a small age, they had to start living independently. But this Hakurei is different. She is more kind that her previous predecessor. And that’s why she fell in love with her.
“Ahah…ahaha, what’s this? Is my wo…rd too surprising for the gre…at Sage of Gens…okyo…?” she joked, "And what’s thi…s? Is this the se…cond time that I see… you cry?” with her other hand, - wiped the tears(?) of Yukari’s face. It’s hard to tell whether or not it is a tear or not, but only Yukari knows. She stays silence, letting the previous Hakurei do her thing. Because Yukari could see it. The small candle, ever so small, is on its last flame. Even a tiny gust, would snuff the flame out.
“… can I ask you… of something?” –asked, “A favour… if you ple…ase…” she opened her mouthed,
“Please… take care of Re…imu for me…”
She knows that. That is also the same request from the older Hakurei. To take care of their offspring. But instead of protecting the names, this girl is different. She sees Reimu not as a Hakurei, but as her daughter.
“… I will…” Yukari finally speaks. Hearing this, - smile widen.
“Than…k you…” another cough, “… please… take ca…re of her… She … needs som…eone to guid…e her… always mak…e sure to kee…p her sm…iling…”
“Of course, I will.”
“You’ll ma…ke a gre…at aunty for her, Yukar-“ she paused, before correcting herself,
“No, you’ll make a great mother for her... mom,”
and with that, she breathed her last breathe. Yukari sits there, tightly grasping on her cold hands, letting the rain hit the two of them. Silently, the great sage of youkai lost another person that she loved. First it was a girl from the Netherworld, and now a person from Hakurei. Yukari picked up the lifeless Hakurei, and gapped both of them out of the rain, preparing a burial for the Hakurei, as she always does. Tomorrow, the world will forgot about the previous Hakurei. Because there could never be two Hakurei alive in the same timeline. All to keep the balance of Gensokyo in order.
‘I’ve watched that girl for a while now,’
Yukari thought. She looked at the new Hakurei, Hakurei Reimu. After the passing of her mother, Yukari had been giving her guidance. She teached her how to fight, what her duties are, but she will never interfere. After all, the Hakurei have to learn this on her own. They have to be independent. Because of this,
‘I can’t keep your promise, -,’
she cursed. Yukari could not fight for her. Reimu had to handle everything. For the sake of Gensokyo. She have to grow. Stronger than ever. Stronger than the previous Hakurei. Yukari watched as Reimu grew. Her first fight, on how she shivered at the beginning. When she had to manage the shrine funds, on how her head spins. On when she had to do the yearly ritual, how many mistakes she had done. And how every night, she would called out to your name, -, and you will never come back. Only the Hakurei remember their own generation. Her first seeing a ‘taboo’ and how that had broken her, seeing a person from the village, the placed that she was tasked to protect, succumbed to that. She closed her heart, only doing her task as instructed. Her smile, slowly, removed from her face. The usual sunny disposition of a child had turned bitter as she grow. And Yukari could only watch. She tried her hardest to keep it neutral for Reimu, because she could not play favourites. After all, she is a sage first, and a friend second. Yukari cursed her position that she had.
‘However, it all changed,’
A rival of sort had come to the shrine. A small (self-proclaimed) magician. She challenged Reimu to a duel and of course, was easily defeated. Despite that, she kept coming back, pestering the Hakurei. Reimu was angry at first, by her constant interruption but slowly, her smile came back. The magician friendly disposition had thawed the icy cold heart of Reimu. Slowly, Reimu becomes more accepting to the people around her. Starting from the magician, to the people of the village, and even youkais. Reimu had regained her usual disposition. Her smile had come back. But it was not thanks to Yukari, no, it was thanks to her friend. A human friend, same as her. She hated the fact that she wasn’t the one who could keep her happy. But, she is also glad, that the same old Reimu is back.
‘At the same time, I hated the fact that…’
that Reimu, looked similar to her mother. Her mannerism, her gait, her everything. She is the spitting image of the girl she failed to protect. That tears her heart apart. She couldn’t take it. She hated herself because of this. This similarity. She will break another promised of her. To become a mother for Reimu. Because right now,
‘I’ve fallen in love with your daughter,’
Yukari cursed. She knows that this love won’t bear fruit. No matter what. She knows that if she had fallen in love, another person would befell a curse. A curse that could end’s one life. She doesn’t want Reimu to die an early life, but her heart betrayed her duties. Because of that, she confessed, on one Spring, during a usual banquet, Reimu and Yukari slipped away from the crowd. Reimu asked her what’s her reason for doing this, and there and then, Yukari confessed. But, you already know the outcome,
“Ahahaha, yeah, yeah, Yukari, I love you too,”
Reimu laughed it off. She thinks that it is a joke. Of course, to her eyes, Yukari is a parental figure. Not to mention, a youkai. One of the taboo of Hakurei is for a youkai and human to live together. That’s right. This love will never came to be. She knows that. Because Reimu had already set her eyes on another. She knows how long she would gaze on a certain someone. How their conversation sometimes would gravitate to her. How she would complain, but still managed to boast about her.
Yukari knows this, and because of that, she can used this. With this privilege, Yukari will say that she like her, every time they meet. Reimu would consider it as a joke and the status quo remain. However, that doesn’t mean that Yukari gave up. She will make Reimu conscious of her. She will make Reimu look her way instead. Every day, she will say ‘I like you’. The same three words. Did you know? A single piece of paper is light, but a stack is heavy. That is what Yukari is doing right now. She will stack the papers until Reimu finally realized how heavy (and true) her love is. To make Reimu look her way.
And today, Yukari would always say her three weight(less) word:
“I love you”