There was a blur, in the slim in-between time from one blink to the next. When I reopened my eyes, I saw through the eyes of Ran once more.

But this time, the viewpoint was from a different angle, from a different Ran. Daji stood before her, one hip cocked, her expression confident and utterly unfazed by the strike. It had been merely a probing blow—illusions meant to test her, to provoke a reaction, to create an opening. Yet the older fox remained undaunted, the only change being the infuriating smirk now playing on her lips.

Ran could only sigh to herself. This was why fighting against other foxes was the absolute worst. Scheming a perfect approach was nearly useless, and the duels always turned… messy. There was no room for games, only a ruthless race to the other’s death.

Daji however, smirked. For all intents and purposes, it looked like the spirit was fully enjoying the confrontation. With confident steps, the fox started prowling back and forth in front of her, like a lioness before her hunt.

“Honestly, I expected something like this,” she said with a wide grin. “Waiting for me just as I was escaping the Realms, right as I was at my lowest? Way too convenient. Too perfect a reason. Maybe it’s my paranoia talking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Yukari was the one that got my… colleagues, to stab me in the back. No worries – she’ll get her rightful due, once I’m done with you. Maybe I’ll skin that pretty hide off of you and wear it as a cloak. Gold would make for an excellent look on me, I think.”

Boisterous and uncouth—Ran felt uneasy knowing that Daji was a fox, just like her. If the foxes of old were all so lacking in subtlety, so full of bluster, she could only take solace in the thought that the march of time had refined their kind in the modern era. A small comfort.

Daji leered at her. “Ah well. Springing traps and turning the tables has ever been my specialty, so I’m not too worried. But I have to admit that I’m curious – what did she promise you, young one? Just freedom from the seal?”

Indeed, one of many promised offerings. A chance to right wrongs, and the opportunity to take her carefully curated powerbase back into her hands. Ran pondered whether she should answer before finally bowing, and opening her mouth to speak.

“It is irrelevant, Lady Daji,” she said, voice a modest whisper. “Weakened as you are, you will not live long enough for that to –”

A strike. A snarl, and a countering strike. Then, battle was joined.

Hours passed before Ran realized something was dearly, dearly wrong.

Daji was many years her senior; this was known, and accounted for. But the old fox had been wounded from her adversaries, and despite her age many of her tails had been mutilated as well. Ran had entered this fight with the utmost confidence. Her years playing the courts had made her one of the most feared youkai in the East, so much so that some even believed that she was Daji reborn.

Humorous, considering the circumstances.

Wherever she had walked, both sides of the curtain bowed to her whims. First was her hand in removing the oni from their powerbase in Mt. Ooe – a few whispered words to Abe no Seimei, and preparing Yorimitsu with the correct tools of the trade – then taking hold of the power vacuum once her adversaries had been removed, coming into the court properly as Tamano-no-mae.

Without the oni as a counterbalance, the youkai under her command had owned the countryside, and the court was stacked with her kin. Those that challenged her, she removed – sometimes personally, if she felt the need. The emperor ate out of the palm of her hand, and youkai from the farthest reaches of the empire would come to her, to grovel and pay homage. Until it all came to pass on the fateful day, where her enemies managed to pursue her onto the plains of Nasu.

And so, it was strange. Her experiences and upbringing were so different to the old fox they were like night and day. Her expertise lay in spellwork, meddling with the minds of her followers, politicking. In contrast, Daji’s skills in direct combat had been forged and strengthened over the years she had lasted in the Animal Realm. But despite all of this…

They were evenly matched. Unnervingly so.

Despite her relative inexperience, Ran felt herself become physically stronger, more capable in the clash of fang and claw – but to her growing dread, the dumb brute in front of her wove the most delicate spellwork, the type of illusions that even Ran knew was at the height of her own skill. For each blow that she landed, the old fox countered. For each illusion Daji cast, she tore through in kind.

It was as if someone was… balancing the scales. Constantly. Her mind spun. The stars in the endless night seemed to glitter, mocking her realization. Her gaze met with her opponent, and recognized that she too, had finally connected the dots. But the terms of the battle in this realm were clear:

“A battle to the death. Where we fight until only one remains, or when we can fight no longer. No alliances. No quarter given. Only battle.”

And thus, they battled. They fought through the memories of her palace in Kyoto, tearing apart the wooden pillars as they went. The endless hallways of the Animal Realm too, were rent asunder with their claws and spells. Even that ancient palace of Daji now burned, a raging inferno in the starry, cloudless night.

Another hour passed in fervent battle. And then, several more.

Still, they were matched perfectly. The scales were balanced by a hair. There was no edge. Any advantage was grinded away. The dimensional trap that Yukari Yakumo had locked them in was rigged to both their benefit, and within this realm of thoughts and memories the only fuel they had left was their will.

They fought on. Maybe for another day? Weeks? Months, even?

Ran’s mind burned, and she screamed.

Ran wept. In front of her, Ran wept also. They fought still.

How many years decades centuries millennia had passed since the agreement

in this border between minds, where time had no meaning

where the only company was dust

And this being with her own face?

The constant company/conflict had made its mark. Her memories/being were blended/merged with hers. In the brief lulls of the fighting, she could remember her youth, running free in the forests of Japan. She could recall the shining spectacle of a budding Bronze Age empire. The pain of betrayal in the Animal Realm. The lavish glamor of the imperial courts in Kyoto. The agony of the arrow that sealed her. The deals with the devil.

Like two river stones, they had been polished smooth against each other. Identical. Broken, and ground down.

No end in sight

No end to the desperation

No end to the duel that constituted her life

Was this Yakumo’s plan

Was this her punishment?

Forever?

Their palaces were naught but dust and ashes now. She couldn’t help but choke back a ragged sob. In front of her, her doppelganger mirrored her every move. The hopeless tears glistened down her cheeks and matched her own. She would have laughed then, if she had any joy in her left.

How pathetic were they? How had they underestimated Yakumo so badly? What powers did that witch have, to create such a timeless realm of suffering?

They fought on, still.

Until after uncountable years

Per the terms, there was nothing left to fight

First, was the sound of steps. Beat by beat in the featureless dust.

███ did not stir. Nor did the body next to her.

The female figure knelt down beside them. She checked the other body first, and seemed satisfied by what she saw. Then she walked next to ███.

A wave in front of her eyes. ███ did not respond. A parasol knocked roughly against the side of her head. She let it, as she looked vacantly above.

The figure laughed, and said a few more words with a mocking lilt. ███ could comprehend the words but had no drive to decipher their meaning. She stared dully, seeing and hearing, but not understanding.

But then, a snap of fingers. And as the border between thoughts finally started to close, ███ finally stirred. Even then, relief did not come, for the empty vessels could no longer understand it’s comforting embrace.

In their faded consciousness, they heard words. Questions. The moving of their shared body. The passage of epochs may have been but an instant to them; compared to the eternity of their suffering inside the starlit realm, all time felt meaningless. Eventually they came to, in a house of many doors and uncountable hallways. As they lay in bed, their shared eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. They heard an amused hum.

“No hard feelings,” said a voice sweetly. “But you would have been an absolute nightmare if I had let you be. Two youkai who had their myths wrapped up in the destruction of kingdoms? It wouldn’t be a matter of if, but when. I would have been stuck combating you two for centuries over my budding paradise, when you finally made your move. It was much easier to strike first - have you both taken out now, in one fell swoop. Really, did you know how hard it was to exhume the body of Ashiya Douman, that spiteful onmyouji, without anyone learning of it? And how hard it was to convince that taotie to take a bite?”

Amulets covered their body from head to toe. If they concentrated, they could try to grasp what was being said, but only barely. Otherwise, it was just meaningless chatter. But the woman continued to talk, both to herself and to them.

“But truly, you both were the most awful people I could ever conceive of. Peering into your minds was not something I’d like to repeat.” The voice sighed, then giggled. “Your past is still in there, as memories and the ensuing myths form the core of a youkai’s being. You’re just having trouble conceiving them as yours, with your wills ground down as they are. Nevertheless, it means that I cannot wipe all that away. But! I can re-context some things so they… make more sense, for your future.”

A finger touched their forehead, and a heavy, artificial feeling of guilt blanketed their past memories. The two clung hungrily to the emotion, embracing it, taking solace in the ugly, unfamiliar emotion. Even the unpleasant was bliss compared to their unfeeling stupor.

“Hmm. Maybe a bit too much? I don’t want you to be traumatized by it, just… unwilling to confront it, maybe. I need you to be functional, not a guilt-stricken wreck. We could weave in the idea that you wanted to make amends. Like… so.”

The guilt lessened. And they almost whimpered in panic – they didn’t want to feel nothing again. But a new sense of resolve pressed into them instead, and they drank it up greedily like a women dying of thirst. Breath came back to their lungs, as they fumbled with – and then grasped tightly – the will to continue.

“Oh ho, liked that didn’t you? Let’s make sure not to go overboard. Don’t want a holy woman to spring from the ashes; that’d be too ironic even for me. How about dedication? And loyalty. I’ll need someone at my back, if only to shield it with their own.”

More resolve, determination. Strong devotion, directed towards the one that would call herself their master, the one who had saved [destroyed] them, the sinners that they were. She had brought them into better things, a better life. That was certain.

“And of course, to keep the story straight… you were just a youkai. Singular.”

And without a single spasm or a struggle, the two accepted in chorus. The two had already thought as one, been as one for millennia, and so she did not fight back against the command. She nodded, the movement so small that it was barely noticeable.

“Excellent. Enough of the common folk believe it to be so anyway, so the existing stories should help my bindings. I’ll need to blur out the memories that state otherwise, and insert some new ones in their stead. And lock some down with adamantine bars, for that matter. But now for some… how about an interest in mathematics? You’ll need that to keep your passion for border maintenance. If I can crank it up, and make it close to a hyperfixation… there we go. Should make completing your menial tasks way easier in the future.”

And like a gardener pruning a bonsai tree, Yukari continued her work. Picking and prodding away at her being, molding her into a puppet of her liking. Yukari despised having to take care of herself – and so, the fox gained an appreciation for kitchen work, housekeeping. Yukari liked a game of Go from time to time; and so she gained the knowledge to play. Additional shikigami programming was fit onto her, so that she would be prevented from doing anything in contrary to Yukari’s general directives. And finally, a nurturing nature, so that she may watch over those close to her like a mother. Yukari reasoned that it would give her even more reason to protect Gensokyo and its border like a vigilant hawk.

Weeks went by as Yukari pinched and adjusted the fox’s personality to her liking. Ideas were applied, then discarded. Drafts were made, then thrown away. Until eventually, Yukari finalized the programming, and with a quiet whisper, breathed it to life.

The fox kitsune woke.

She got up from her futon and stretched; noticing the clock hanging on the wall, she gasped to herself, shocked at how it was already evening. With a quiet sigh and a quick reprimand to herself, the newly activated Yakumo Ran hurried into the kitchen, and started preparing dinner.

Her movements were practiced. Eggs were stirred together with professional flair, and she quickly got a stock simmering, for the other dishes to use. She knew where every ingredient was, and went through a few recipes that, in her mind, she had cooked a hundred times over. She portioned the rice into bowls that were familiar to her – but in reality, she had held for the very first time. And as Ran finished her cooking, she called down the hallway for her master to eat.

Ran still remembered that day. It had always come across as odd to her; firstly, why had that day stood out in particular, amongst her many memories?

And secondly, why Lady Yukari had looked so triumphant during the meal?

Ran woke with a ragged gasp, flinging herself upwards from the futon. I flinched, and was torn from the memory alongside her. Kasen hissed and jerked back as well, the back of her head nearly hitting the shrine walls.

The hermit's eyes were wide, unsettled by what she had just witnessed. The two of us could only turn to Ran, dreading what we might see.

The kitsune panted heavily, staring down at her trembling hands. A dreadful, warbling cry tore from her throat, and the sound sent a sharp twist of pain through my heart.

“Ah. Ah-ah ha. Ahh- ah—.”

I wrapped my arms around her without hesitation, holding her tight. She struggled against me, her tears streaming down her face.

“I’m not…,” she whispered, “I’m not… I’m not…”

I took a deep breath, and said...

[ ] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.

[ ] You can be whatever you want to be – I’ll support you.

[ ] Yukari will pay for this. I’ll stand with you.

[ ] Write-ins welcome.

[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.

What do you say to a woman whose life had been a lie? I rubbed her back gently as I held her close, feeling the dampness of her tears on my shoulder. The words came to me slowly; but they were heartfelt, and true.

“You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past” I said. “That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature.”

Ran’s trembling didn’t stop – but I could see her ears flick, listening to me, grasping for any lifeline that would prove her wrong. I took a deep breath, and continued.

“Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.”

Ran shifted, and I got a broken laugh from her in response.

“Don’t you see?” she said quietly, grasping on to me tightly enough for it to hurt. “I don’t dwell on my past because Lady Yukari made it so. These feelings of wanting to escape from the past? They aren’t real. My determination to make myself a better person? Also a programmed, manufactured facsimile of wanting to atone. As I was, originally, I – we – had no such willingness to us. Left as we were, we would have burned down Gensokyo just for the satisfaction of feeling its warmth.”

“But—”

“My loyalty? Fake,” she murmured, in a daze. “My interests, the passions that constitute my life? Fake. Even my love for Chen, the happiness that I feel when I see her grow… would that not just be part of my fixed drive to nurture? What is left of Yakumo Ran then, if not just a… a punch card carrying out pre-programmed acts, just to cover over the filthiness beneath?”

Her breath caught. “And what… what even am I to Lady Yukari? Am I just a prized trophy, a living example of what she can do to her enemies? All the times we talked, joked, every day I woke her up for dinner… was she just laughing to herself as I did so? Did she just view me as just a ‘seal’ for her two greatest enemies to languish inside? What was all my duty even worth?”

I grimaced. What she said was right. It recontextualized all her memories as Yakumo Ran, especially those regarding to the closest people to her.

“We’ll… talk to Yukari soon,” I assured her. “We can figure out things with her, see where we stand. But we need to help you first.”

In the dim candlelight I saw Kasen stand up, and soon after I heard the sliding door click quietly as she closed the door behind her. The hermit was giving us some privacy, and for that I thanked her silently in my head.

I hugged Ran tighter. “You aren’t just a set of programming. How could you be? Even after the centuries you spent, maintaining the border and making sure it was safe? You spent multiple centuries as Yakumo Ran. Centuries living your life, carrying out your duties, interacting with everyone in Gensokyo. You’re far beyond what Yukari originally set you as.”

“You don’t know that,” whispered Ran. “For all you know, my… my feelings towards— all my emotions are predetermined. Only as real as a coded result, spat out after an input.”

I shook my head.

“I’m not you,” I replied. “But I can make a good guess. For me? Making it into Gensokyo, getting my pants scared off by the chase through your house, everything that followed after that –”

I stopped myself and sighed, running a hand through my hair before continuing on. “Whatever I was before joining up with you? I was something different. I didn’t realize it then, but I was bitter, so bitter that it was becoming poison. I lied and stole because it gave me a sense of superiority over those that I considered my betters, not because of any other purpose. A part of me very much enjoyed lying to Keine and Reimu when I was first here, finding my footing. I wouldn’t say that I’m a changed man now – life isn’t that simple – but I think I’m becoming something I’d be… happier being. And it’s only been months, Ran. I’ve changed, and you even more so. There are nations that are younger than you, even discounting your previous selves. I guess that now we know for certain that you were made with a nurturing, and mathematical mind – so what? I was born with a loose moral compass, something also out of my control. We can both choose where it goes from there.”

She chuckled, the sound rattling and unpleasant. But it was an improvement. I don’t think she’d been fully convinced, but at the very least she was no longer fully committed to the idea that she was some programmed shadow.

“You are… more philosophical than I thought you to be,” she said wryly. I tried to grin.

“I can surprise you further, but I’m betting that you’ll probably know all my tricks. The Ship of Theseus? Refutations against the Chinese Room? Despite my other inadequacies, I was classically taught in the theories of magic. And if humans want to perform the mental gymnastics necessary to bend the world to our will, philosophical sophistry is always part of the curriculum. If you’re up for it, we can debate if I have any free will at all.”

She laughed again, and I chalked it up as another win. I patted her back gently.

“Get some rest— you’ve been through a lot tonight. We have the room till morning. I’ll talk to Kasen to see if she has any advice for us, and I’ll come straight back to you. I promise.”

She nodded slightly. Weakly. I laid her back on the futon and tucked her under the covers. I gently helped her remove her tabard and hat, and soon her eyes fluttered shut, drained from everything that had transpired. As I brushed her hair from her face, a sharp pang twisted in my chest. Part of me hated the idea of leaving her alone, but there were things I needed to settle before tomorrow arrived.

Stepping out, I found Kasen standing outside the room, head bowed in thought. She gave me a quick nod down the hallway, motioning for me to follow. The hermit held another candle in her hands, and I padded after her carefully in the flickering light.

“Did you… know any of this?” I whispered, unable to stop myself.

“I suspected some of it. But even I was surprised at how deeply unpleasant it was,” she replied. The hermit’s voice was tight, controlled. “Don’t worry about keeping your voice down, by the way. Reimu had requested the entire house, down to the individual rooms, soundproofed after one too many parties at her shrine. I heard nothing of what you said to Ran.”

She led me over to an area that looked like Reimu’s dining room, and she placed her candle on the low table as I sat down beside her. Kasen looked over at me, and sniffed.

“From your lack of shock at what I am, who I am – I must assume that you learned that somewhere beforehand?”

I caught the look on her face. A bit of tired amusement had crept into her expression, and I could only laugh quietly in response.

“Uh. Yeah. Ibaraki Douji, right? I never told anyone, so please don’t worry on that front.”

Kasen snorted and said, “I thought as much. Ran, crafty as she is, must have told you in case you needed additional leverage over me. But rest assured, I do not have any… hostile reasons for my lack of transparency. I am working on something that would greatly diminish in effect if I was completely open with my identity.”

“Does it have to do with Reimu?”

Kasen’s eyebrow twitched. “…Did Ran tell you that too?” she asked suspiciously.

“No,” I said hurriedly. “A lucky guess? Logically, it would just make a lot of sense – your frequent visits to the shrine and all.”

Kasen steepled her fingers, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Figures. Well, don’t be overly alarmed. Consider what I’m planning… a test, of sorts. The shrine maiden will walk away from it with no permanent harm. I would request that you keep this secret between us, before it all pans out. Could you agree to that much?”

I thought about it, and nodded. “As long as it’s as you say – Reimu is unharmed, happy at the end of all this.”

“Oh, I have no doubt that she will be,” Kasen replied wryly. But then, she cleared her throat. “But apologies for my off-topic tangent; of course we have other, more pressing issues to discuss.”

I nodded, straightening up. Kasen continued.

“Yakumo Ran; firstly… no, I did not know that Yukari’s machinations ran that deep. Neither did I know that Ran’s change of character was non-consensual, for the lack of a better term. I avoided the kitsune because of my own unpleasant encounter, as you saw – but after Ran found her place at Yukari’s side, all the rumors of her painted an excellent picture of rehabilitation. I would even say that I was – how should I say it? Encouraged, by proof that a youkai was able to make such a clean break from her past. While I was always a bit nervous around Ran, the fact that she had made such a drastic change and come out the other side… well, it aided my resolve in committing to my path.”

“Ironic,” I couldn’t help but mutter. Kasen nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. The worst part is that despite Yukari’s abhorrent methods, I can’t even place full blame on the sage. It may not have come across fully in her memories, but Ran – or rather, one of her – has an absolutely horrifying way of drawing out the worst parts of a person. She caught onto what was arguably my only weakness at the time, and immediately started to work on it. I will… still have words with the youkai sage, but if Yukari turned it on me and asked what I would have done in her stead, I’m afraid I would have no good answers.”

That was the crux of it. If Daji had cause for it, she would have no doubt done worse to Yuuma, and betrayed her thrice over. And successful or no, she would have tried her best to turn Kasen from her self-chosen path of virtue; if not out of a practical cause, then perhaps amusement. Tamamo-no-mae was much the same way, if much less direct in her methods. They were both wicked, moral vacuums in the guise of kitsune.

“And so,” said Kasen, observing me closely. “What would you do, if she decided to… rediscover herself, embrace all her memories? If after considering all the pent-up anger that she held against her master, decided to unleash her previous selves onto Gensokyo?”

“She wouldn’t,” I said immediately. The Ran I knew, and her selves in the visions were far too different. I could scarcely believe they shared the same past. However, the hermit shook her head slowly.

“The being of Yakumo Ran is true, as much as any youkai would consider one of their facets to be ‘true’. But the circumstances of Yakumo Ran’s creation has also made her a ‘mask’. Therefore, now that the entirety of Ran understands it is as being a creation of another, the mask will start to chafe. Her sense of identity will likely start to fray. I suspect the process has started even before we conducted tonight’s ritual. Even before the mage’s attacks, maybe.”

I ran my fingers along the wooden grain of the table, frowning.

“There’s no way to reverse it?” I asked. Kasen bit her lip.

“I am… unsure. But I suppose that if it had been done once by Yukari Yakumo, then reason follows that her methods can be carried out again. Ran’s memories of her previous selves would likely need to be blurred, however. Like they had been before. It is simply too unstable for all of them to stand together in a same mind – a dominant will will eventually arise, and there is no guarantee it will be Ran’s. Still though, it’s an avenue worth considering.”

“If we go with that avenue, it seems like we’ll be back to square one. And we just managed to finally get to the truth as well.”

Kasen shrugged. “In the roughest sense I suppose. Not to play devil’s advocate, but don’t toss that idea to the wayside too easily. Youkai live long lives. In a similar scenario, there are cases where storytellers gradually forget parts of a youkai, and ultimately ‘reinvent’ their beings into something drastically different from what they previously were. But all that aside, let me give you some facts.”

She held up three fingers.

“One: if you are looking for an active solution for Ran’s unique situation, then I personally cannot help you much. This is far, far beyond my area of expertise. Secondly: please, I beg you, do consider the ramifications of letting her alter egos step back to the wheel. And thirdly…”

She looked at me straight in the eyes.

“I am of the firm belief that a youkai can change. The reason behind all my current efforts, all this planning, all this fucking rigamarole is dedicated to that sole belief. That if enough effort is put into it, even a youkai tiger can change its stripes, and more importantly? Keep them changed. I don’t care what conventional wisdom says. I’ll do it, or die trying. Take from that what you will – but keep that in mind when you and Ran figure things out, alright?”

I nodded quickly; a bit shocked from the sudden passion in her words. The hermit had started standing up mid-speech, emphasizing each of her sentences with a shake of her finger. She blushed, catching herself, but decided to remain standing.

“Well. Hmm. In any case, all I’d ask for is to consider my words. It’s time for me to return to my home – my pets are likely getting restless. Please do keep me in the loop if able, and please feel free to seek any further help. But as I said, there’s not much I can directly do.”

“You’ve helped us out so much, and we definitely owe you a favor already. Thank you for your advice, Kasen,” I said earnestly. I stood up as well, following behind her as we walked towards the shrine doors.

“It’s fine,” she replied, waving away my thanks. “I feel that despite my –”

The moment that Kasen opened the sliding door leading to the outside, we were greeted with a blast of noise. Villagers tussled and pushed at each other in an all-out, drunken brawl, and the skies were filled with haphazard danmaku that were going off like fireworks. Youkai and human alike flew through the air, bottles in hand, joining in a frenzied free-for-all that would make even the roughest football hooligan shed tears of joy. I had to duck to avoid a green bullet that flew uncomfortably close by my head. It left a singe mark on the wooden wall behind me.

As we watched, a familiar red streak flew through the air, peppering several crowds of youkai with paper amulets. The youkai scattered, but a couple were caught by seals and swiftly downed. The rest continued hooting and hollering, blowing raspberries at the shrine maiden that was still hot in pursuit.

“Uh, hey! Mr. Ren?”

I looked to the side. A few feet away, I saw Mystia lying on the floor, trying in vain to peel off an amulet that had her stuck to the ground.

Unlike when the night sparrow had been manning her stand in the forest, she was no longer in her domestic get up, apron and all. Instead she wore a dark rocker’s outfit, with heavy eyeshadow and vicious looking nails. She had sunglasses on, even when it was close to midnight, and heavy lace-up boots completed the ensemble. I hadn’t seen her during the festival, but she had clearly come to party.

“A little help here?” she said timidly.

Well, it was the same person at least – clothes or no. A bit overwhelmed by the whole situation, I walked over and helped unstick her from the shrine grounds. The amulet had been keyed to youkai, and as a human I managed to work it off with not much hassle. Soon, she was standing up right next to us; and trying her best not to poke anywhere important with her nails, Mystia took my hand gingerly and shook it.

“Thank you, thank you! Gods only know how long I’d be there if you didn’t come along. Miss Reimu’s on a rampage, and uh, I probably really need to get going. It’s getting a bit ridi—”

“Wait, wait,” Kasen interrupted. “What happened out here? We just went into the shrine to talk a bit, and now –”

Mystia puffed up her cheeks. Then she said, “Well, what did Miss Reimu expect? You’d think she’d know to cut the booze supply before it got too out of hand, as any good restaurateur would, but what would a dumb bird know? Right? Anyway, some people lost the bet on the first duel, then because of that there were several other duels that came after, and then before you know it—”

Fights, more fights, and sore losers. Drunk sore losers. Well… judging from the current crowd of humans, it was a mercy that the only people who stayed this late were ones that were accustomed to this rough and tumble sort of fun. The families had long since vacated the premises after the fireworks, and Ran’s duel with Reimu.

Not too far away, a dog-eared youkai yelped and was slammed hard into the remains of a takoyaki stand by a ying-yang orb. The rest of the wood swiftly crumbled on top of him, burying him inside its ruins. Mystia squawked, rapidly made more stammered excuses and left. She fluttered through the air as fast as she could, drawing a wide berth away from the raging shrine maiden.

I guess Reimu had found her Aesop of the day. As the red streak in the air continued to scramble and try to contain the mess, Kasen could only groan with her face in her palms.

“Nope. Nope. I’m not helping her out of this one,” the hermit muttered. She then looked to me with a plaintive look in her eyes.

“That room of yours, would you mind if I… stayed, and meditated there for the night? I’m not going to try to bust out of this chaos at this point in the night – I’m way too sober for that.”

I nodded. “You got that room for us in the first place, and it’s big enough for all of us. I think we all need a rest. It’s been a long day.”

Her expression brightened, and we hurried back into the shrine. It was a short distance – with Kasen by my side the trip was a smooth affair. Once inside, we shut the door firmly behind us and got back to our room.

With a quiet “goodnight,” Kasen assumed a lotus position by the door and fell silent. I extinguished the remaining candles one by one, and in the darkness, I awkwardly settled beside Ran, leaning my back against the wall.

I listened to her breath, and watched the rise and fall of her chest. And I thought about the future, before uneasy dreams took me as well.

Several decisions can be made at this point, for tomorrow and beyond.

Chen
[ ] Privately tell Chen what we learned. We could get her help in dealing with Ran’s problems.
[ ] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right.

Kijin Seija
[ ] Decide what to do with her once tomorrow comes. We made our promise with Reimu.
[ ] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?

We will also talk with Ran tomorrow on what our future directions could possibly be – but if you have any ideas in advance, feel free to write-in. The one for this update was great.
[ ] Write-in

Chen:
[X] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right
Seija:
[X] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
Additional Actions:
[X] Loop Reimu in on Ran's situation. The Shikigami of one of the sages may be out of commission for the time being and possibly compromised. As the primary guardian of Gensokyo, this may end up as her responsibility.
[X] Once Ran is in a relatively better state of mind, ask her in private if she’s willing to explain all of this to Chen. If not, then just leave it at that.

Morning arrived, and with it returned the unresolved troubles of yesterday.

To my immense relief, Ran was still nestled in her futon, fast asleep. Throughout my restless slumber, I had imagined and dreamt numerous times that she might simply... leave. Perhaps she would decide to return to her master in search of answers. Maybe she would flee to some remote place, far removed from everything. Or, in the depths of her emotional turmoil, she might do something far, far worse.

However, I did notice that Kasen was no longer in her corner. So I quietly got up, stretched out my sore muscles, and made my way out of the room with the lightest footsteps I could manage.

I slid open the door, and peered outside into the hallway. The Hakurei Shrine was many things, but “enormous” was not one of them. In the silence of the early morning, I heard the familiar clinks and clangs of someone at work in the kitchen, along with the scents of cooking. I followed the sounds and the smells, turning a corner, eventually seeing Kasen stirring a pot over the stove, deep in thought.

“Good morning, Kasen,” I said as I entered the kitchen.

Kasen jumped a little, biting back a curse. A bit of soup splattered across the countertop.

“Burning hells, Ren. Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she admonished, fetching a cloth to wipe the spilled liquids.

“Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to be as quiet as possible. Is Reimu…?”

“Still asleep. Look out the window – she spent most of last night trying to stop it from getting any worse.”

I hesitantly made my way over to the side of the room, brushing aside the curtain to see the shrine grounds. And Kasen had not exaggerated; once richly decorated with vibrant festival flags and the warm glow of lanterns, it now lay in utter disarray. Trampled paper amulets and torn banners fluttered weakly in the morning breeze, some tangled around splintered wooden stalls that had been overturned in the chaos. But at the very least, I did not see any remaining guests among the wreckage.

“…Huh. I hope that I’m not in any way being blamed for this.”

“From who, me?” Kasen turned around, cleaning cloth in hand. “Even I’m not that cantankerous. Reimu took your gift, and used it unwisely. There’s nothing to be said beyond that. And as for Reimu herself, I doubt that she’d be difficult with you. I believe that she’d be embarrassed, more than anything else.”

I nodded slowly, taking one last look at the ruined courtyard before turning away. Leaning against the kitchen wall, I watched as Kasen sprinkled some additional seasoning into her pot.

“I didn’t think hermits needed to eat,” I commented.

“I don’t. Doesn’t mean that you three don’t need to, though. And I partake… from time to time.”

I watched her gather a few bunches of vegatables from under the counter, and lay them atop the cutting board. Kasen was clearly very familiar with the Hakurei Shrine kitchen. I wondered if this spoke more towards Kasen’s habits, or Reimu’s. The hermit drew out a chef’s knife from its wooden holder, and started chopping away with practiced motions.

“Say…” I began.

“Yes?”

Well, no use beating around the bush. I tapped my foot against the ground uneasily, before saying, “It’s about… Seija.”

Kasen pursed her lips. “What about her?”

“You caught what Reimu said last night, yes? How Ran was to be responsible for Seija’s punishment?”

“I did hear that. What about it?”

“Seija absolutely delights in needling Ran. She – the amanojaku, that is – has a certain way with words. Ran could handle it if she were well, but…”

The obvious went unspoken. Ran was currently not well, and in the middle of drowning in her previously disregarded memories. She needed support, an extra hand, a raft to carry her to safety and reorganize herself. Not extra flotsam that Seija would gleefully throw at her without second thought.

“You’d be surprised,” said Kasen with a wry smile. I blinked owlishly.

“What?”

“Seija’s is not intentionally malicious. She just seeks upheaval, and many times this means the weak triumphing over the strong, and of course: servants rising up against their masters. If you wish to defend yourself against Yukari’s machinations – or maybe even strike out against her – you’d probably not find a more steadfast ally. All the way till you won, at least.”

I was a bit stunned. “Are you recommending us go against whatever Yukari wants?”

There was a pause, as Kasen considered the question. Her knifework however did not stop. Neat, efficient slices against the board. With an easy sweep of her knife she brushed the cut up contents into the pot, then wiped down the blade with a kitchen cloth.

“Not necessarily,” said Kasen carefully. “I’ve just done some thinking throughout the night. Regarding what I have a right to do, and what anyone in Gensokyo has a right to do. I’ll give advice when it’s requested, of course – but I don’t think it’s correct for me to find a conclusion for you before you’ve even settled on any of your own. Especially with a situation as sensitive as Ran’s. But I’m getting off topic. I can take Seija, if you are worried about her tendencies. I was interested in a proper chat with her anyway.”

“Thank you,” I said, relief in my voice. “You’ve already helped us a lot. I really wouldn’t have asked I didn’t think it absolutely necessary. I – really, both of us – owe you favors.”

“That’s not necessary,” said Kasen, waving me off. “It’s just—”

The thuds of slow footsteps came down the hallway, eventually leading to its source – an utterly bedraggled Hakurei Reimu, in what looked to be yesterday’s clothes. She stomped into the kitchen-slash-dining room, plopped herself at the table, and lay down her head with a dull thump. Tired, hungry, and nursing a hangover; I was seeing Reimu at her most human, it looked like.

“Good morning. Breakfast will be ready in five minutes,” said Kasen, moving back in front of the stove. “You still have the coffee grounds that Yukari gave you. Would you like to drink that instead of tea today?”

A sound that felt like a mixture of “Yes,” “Thank you,” and “Lifesaver,” emerged from the tired miko from the table. Kasen chuckled, and got back to work in front of the wood stove.

I eyed the shrine maiden, slumped and defeated. Remembering her previous lectures on the sharing of knowledge, as well as the safety of Gensokyo… as bad a time as this was, there was probably no better moment. I nudged Reimu gently on her shoulder.

“Uh, I’ve got something… important, to tell you. Unfortunately, it can’t really wait. Are you ok with just listening?”

Reimu turned her head, and through the strands of long black hair pooled over her face I could see her eyes look blearily out at me. But she managed a nod.

Kasen did not chip in while she was cooking, but I could feel her listening as I retold what we had learned last night. I kept away from the specifics, the raw emotions, and settled on the facts. Ran’s dual pasts, and dual souls. Her instability, following the revelation. And with each word, I saw Reimu sink lower. And lower. And lower. Until she was a red, shrine maiden shaped puddle barely clinging onto the tabletop, emanating a low and almost inaudible groan.

Probably a bit of a weighty topic to suddenly throw out there in the middle of the morning – as she just sat down, no less – but since Ran was still asleep, I wouldn’t get another opportunity.

“Well. I uh, thought that you might have needed to hear that,” I said lamely. “Seeing that you specifically told me to keep you posted on everything that could be a threat.”

Her single visible eye glared at me.

“Right thing to do,” came the soft whisper. I smiled, relieved.

“Still makes me want to kick your ass.”

My smile shrank slightly.

“…Thank you, though,” came the reluctant grumble. “Gives me time to prepare in advance. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is something that I can currently solve by beating someone up. In Ran’s case… it feels like it’d just make it worse.”

“You’re learning!” Kasen called from across the room. Reimu looked around in vain for something to throw, before giving up with a sigh.

“Her scary titles, her past…” said Reimu seriously. “It’s not exactly good, but in some ways it’s not anything special. There are others in Gensokyo with similar pedigrees. So let me give you a bit of a wider view, so you don’t panic. And come closer, so I don’t have to shout. It’s making my head hurt.”

I hurriedly went by her to sit at the table. She nodded, satisfied.

“First of all, don’t worry too much about the wider context of all of this. I – and some others that I know – will not let this go out of control. Times have changed since Yukari first set up the Great Hakurei Border with nothing but a talisman and a dream. If worse comes to worse, I will be there to stop Ran, Daji, Tamamo-no-mae, or whoever from rampaging. That’s a promise. So you two don’t need to worry about that, and worry about Ran herself instead. Clear?”

I nodded slowly. “So you’re saying… that we should just focus on ourselves?”

“And what’s best for you two,” said Reimu, stifling a yawn. “Whatever that is. If it leads to monkey business down the line, I’ll just resolve it, like any other incident. Take that as you will.”

In a sense, it was both permission, and a threat. We could choose whatever we wanted at this juncture, and she would not interfere; but if down the line it put us in conflict with Reimu or the barrier itself, the shrine maiden would be forced to step in. In an official capacity, with spellcards; or in unofficial capacity, if things went beyond that to warrant lethality.

“Thanks, Reimu,” I replied honestly.

She snorted. “Don’t be. We don’t even know if we’ll be on opposite sides yet, after all of this falls into place.”

Kasen brought over a steaming pot of rice porridge, her bare hands holding the hot metal handles, and she did so with barely a flinch on her face. Reimu watched hungrily as she portioned it out.

The scent was wonderful, and I was pleasantly surprised. I had expected some sort of nourishing – but bland – gruel, from my own experience with the eastern religious types. The broth base was rich and thick, perfect for a late morning hangover. Kasen knew her stuff, and judging from her face? She was proud of it.

“Ren, would you like to go fetch Ran for breakfast with us? Or do you think she’d rather sleep in?”

“Nah, I think she’d probably prefer company at this point. Let me go and –“

But as the soft creak of the wooden boards outside reached our ears, we fell into an uneasy silence. My fingers tightened around my cup. Reimu shifted slightly where she sat. Kasen stole a quick glance at the door before looking away, continuing to pour herself a cup of tea.

Eventually, Ran walked by the doorway. She looked better – weary for sure, but much more put together. Her eyes had regained that bit of original sharpness, her posture just a bit more resolved. She had chosen not to wear her hat, and her ears went uncovered, flicking at every noise that we made.

Her eyes swept over the room. When she looked at the stove, she flinched. Imperceptibly.

I pretended not to see it and got up with a big smile.

“Hey Ran! Feeling better?”

She looked back at me with a start. “I… yes. A good night of rest did help.”

“Great. Kasen’s made us some rice porridge, and some tea and coffee to go along with it. How much would you like?”

Ran joined us, seemingly glad to not be the cook for a change, and breakfast passed uneventfully. We ate, we talked. Reimu did not broach the topic of Ran’s condition, and neither did Kasen or me. We stuck to safer grounds; like Reimu’s clean-up efforts, and how she wanted to offload the Treasure Gathering Pot back to me immediately. Reimu declared that it was clearly made to gather misfortune as well, and that she was clearly innocent of all that had happened last night.

Kasen chided Reimu, I playfully mimicked the hermit’s lectures, and Ran chuckled along with us. Finally, when our bowls were scraped clean and the last drops of tea and coffee had been drained, Ran and I volunteered to handle the cleanup. Reimu gladly accepted and eagerly pulled Kasen outside to assess the courtyard.

So as Ran and I stood shoulder to shoulder at Reimu’s very basic sink, I thought about what to go over first. Maybe the most immediate?

“So… I’ve asked Kasen take over Seija’s sentencing,” I remarked.

Ran raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Thought you needed a break. Kasen was willing, and the last thing we need is Seija’s inane comments right now. The amanojaku has a sixth sense towards conflict, and I’m not sure if she’ll have our best interests in mind.”

Ran nodded, taking a bowl from me and wiping it down. “Thank you. I might have chosen to take the responsibility regardless, but rationally speaking, it may have not been the right choice. Speaking of choices…

“Hmm?”

Ran sighed, placing the bowl back onto a drying rack. She then turned to me with a concerned look on her face.

“I’ve been considering a question in my head all morning. Do you think that Chen should know all of this? I’m worried that… well, I feel…”

Her words trailed off, and she went back to drying the next set of chopsticks. I ran my hand through my hair, thinking on how to answer.

“That’s honestly something that I wanted to ask you, as well,” I replied. “Aside from Yukar… well, Chen probably knows you the best out of most people around, and has spent the longest time around you. She’d be a good anchor to yourself, if that makes sense. Ultimately though? It’s up to you.”

Ran looked into the distance and laughed lightly.

“I think I am. But it’s going to be a hard conversation,” she muttered.

“In my experience, the ones worth doing usually are. I can’t really point fingers though; I have a bad track record of avoiding most of them myself.”

After we finished up, Ran excused herself to tidy up in Reimu’s bathroom. I walked back to the room that we stayed over the night, to make sure we had taken everything with us before we left.

But suddenly I felt one of my pockets grow taut, and I stopped in my tracks. A bit confused at the odd sensation, I nervously slid my hand in, and retrieved a folded piece of paper that I was completely certain had not been there a second ago.

Looking around me warily, I unfolded it. Neat, flowing script – it was a note.

Ren,

You know who I am. I believe that a talk would be worthwhile.
I will be waiting for you in Hakugyokurou. Come alone; you will not be harmed.

Y.Y.

[ ] Tell Ran about the letter, with the intention of meeting with Yukari

[ ] Tell Ran about the letter, with no intention of meeting with Yukari

[ ] Do not reveal the letter. Make excuses for our absence, and meet with Yukari.

[ ] Do not reveal the letter. Do not meet with Yukari.

[ ] Write-in.

[X] Tell Ran about the letter, with the intention of meeting with Yukari

“I didn’t expect this,” admitted Ran, staring down at the note with a furrowed brow.

After I handed the note over to Ran, she initially reacted with bewilderment; but after a moment of close inspection, she confirmed that the handwriting was indeed authentic. Every brush, every stroke. For all intents and purposes, it seemed that the note truly was from her enigmatic master.

“This sheds a new light on her previous absence,” continued Ran thoughtfully. “And I didn’t expect her to act so quickly and overtly. In her own way, she must be panicking. Of course, there is the possibility that she knew that I’d presume that…”

“Would she assume that I’d show you the note?” I asked.

“Definitely. At the very least, she’d consider the possibility. The fact that she didn’t remind you to keep quiet about receiving this means that, in a way, she knows that there’s a high possibility that I would learn about this from you. Of course, that would in turn mean she is counting on the fact that I would think that, and is pushing me to act in a certain way.”

Ran groaned and ground her teeth. Eventually she sighed and said, “And this is why I hate being opposite her when playing out these scenarios. She is inequitably more brilliant than I and even has the advantage of being my programmer. If there is a hidden snare somewhere, I fear that I will walk straight into it. Any advice that I give you could potentially just make you easier to manipulate.”

“Well, I can’t say I know her as well as you do,” I replied, examining the note again. “But are you sure you’re not being paranoid? She can’t be that good at social engineering, right?”

Ran snorted.

“She is, and then some,” muttered Ran darkly. “However, we still don’t know the purpose of the meeting, just that she wants to talk. Which is, well…”

With a heavy exhale, she sat down on the shrine steps. Gazing listlessly into the distance, she bent down, and grabbed a nearby blade of grass growing out from between the stones. She tore it out gently by the roots, and started kneading it in her hands, gradually weaving it slowly into an interlaced twine. As she kept her hands busy, she spoke.

“Still, part of me yearns. To throw myself at her feet, beg her mercy, and affirm my undying loyalty once again. To send with you a letter of my own, to plead on my behalf and ask her to please just make things right again. I want to wake up in the mornings, busy myself in the kitchen, send Chen over to wake her up for breakfast. I want to laugh with her at her stupid jokes, that are couched in way too many ancient references and forgotten symbolism to be funny to anyone else. I’d even welcome the drudgery of all the border work – as much as it drives me up the wall.”

“And part of me…” she continued, “wonders how much of that past was a lie. How much of that life was calculated actions at my expense to keep me docile and in line. And we feel like vomiting at the thought.”

I froze at the ‘we’ at the last sentence, but Ran didn’t seem to have noticed. Her face was unchanged, still deep in thought. It was probably best not to mention it.

“How… ergh, I’m not sure how to phrase this,” I muttered, changing tack.

“Hmm?”

I ran a hand through my hair and said, “How angry are you at her, currently? I would say that it’s warranted. Even if the relationship you two had was genuine, she still kept a lot from you. Not to mention, everything that happened during your first meeting.”

In the distance, we watched as Reimu came into view again – struggling to drag some of the ruined festival decorations into a large pile. Despite her incomprehensibly strong magical powers, it seemed that physically, she was still very much human. But to her credit, she was efficient; from the way that she was gathering all the scattered debris, it made me wonder if this was not the first time that the shrine maiden had to clean up after one of her events.

“It’s difficult to say.” Ran mused. “I feel the desire for vengeance, but there is a degree of separation, as if it were not truly mine. But a more clinical view would say that those are my true emotions, and are every bit as valid as my feelings of loyalty. Either way, Mistress Yukari—"

The two of us were suddenly interrupted by intense, muffled sounds of protest.

Kasen had retrieved Seija out of her temporary prison, bound and gagged her, and had her thrown over her shoulder to take somewhere else. The irate amanojaku struggled as hard as she could, but her forceful wriggling did nothing to dislodge her from the hermit’s iron hold. With a collection of bruises and a head of messy hair, Seija looked worse for wear after her time in confinement. But amazingly, not by much – if anything, her bedraggled state seemed more natural somehow. Like it was the proper way of things for her to be slightly roughed up.

“Oh? I didn’t see you two after we finished breakfast. Everything well?” asked Kasen nonchalantly. Seija struggled even more, but some additional applied pressure from the hermit’s bandaged arm left her gasping for air. The amanojaku’s eyes darted around, landing on me and Ran. I ignored her gaze.

“As well as can be,” Ran replied. “Thank you, by the way. For helping me with Seija.”

Kasen smiled. “No problem. I’ve already made most of my thoughts known, but you know where to find me if you’re up for some more tongue wagging. Keep safe.”

Seija stilled for a moment, stopping in her escape efforts. And in an odd display of sincerity, she locked gazes with Ran, and gave her a thumbs up – or at least the best she could manage, with her bound arms.

“Mmf mf,” said Seija firmly.

Kasen’s eyes twinkled. “I told you so. Well! I’ll be off then. I’ll see you two around.”

The two of us said our goodbyes, and Seija resumed her futile struggles – probably more for show than for actual results. We watched the duo rise up in the air, and within a few heartbeats they both disappeared over the treeline surrounding the shrine.

“I still think that getting Seija’s ‘help’ would have been disastrous,” I said finally.

“Completely understandable,” said Ran with a light chuckle.

We watched Reimu struggle to handle a long wooden pole, before giving up and breaking it over her knee in a burst of strength. It was soon deposited in a pile that looked like it was meant for firewood. The shrine maiden dusted off her hands, and went to grab a corner of a torn banner, rolling it up as she went.

“But, in any case,” said Ran, recollecting herself. “Returning to the subject at hand – when we come down to our base assumptions, we don’t know if Lady Yukari wishes us good or ill. Neither is there a way to know for certain. And honestly at this point, what even is good or ill? If she decides to dominate and bind us again, would it even be unwelcome?”

A frightening thought. But it was the norm than ‘Ran’ had lived through for most of her conscious life, at this point.

“Don’t you feel like you need some time to think about it?” I asked warily. “Seems pretty important, if your entire being is on the line.”

Ran laughed drily.

“Ren, I’d love nothing more. But I am very worried – and I feel that I am warranted to feel this way – that the longer we wait, it won’t truly be me doing the deciding. No, this will have to be done quickly. I feel like the first step would be finding out what Master Yukari wishes to do. And to follow that up, to meet her. I feel that if I can… talk to her at least, it will clarify some things so I can decide the way forwards.”

She turned to me, and a hint of a grin appeared on her tired face.

“That is not to say that we shouldn’t make preparations, however, to strengthen our own position. Could you humor a small request of mine? I hesitate to ask this of you, but in an ironic sense I feel that you would appreciate this as well.”

I nodded. “If it’s within my abilities, I don’t see why not. What’s the ask?”

“Get something from my master if you can. An article of her belongings. A cup that she touched.”

She locked gazes with me, and I couldn’t help but feel that it was not one, but three pairs of eyes that looked out to me, each similarly hungry. Each all having their own plans, but nonetheless agreeing on this very first step.

“Or if you can manage it? A hair off her head.”

Ran will talk to Chen, fill her in on our recent discoveries. I on the other hand will travel to Hakugyokurou soon, and will… consider Ran’s request. But how should I plan my initial approach in the meeting with Ran’s master?

[ ] Aggressive, heated. Question her about her actions, and use this forcefulness to exact concessions, for her to fix the mess that she created.

[ ] Neutral. Make it seem that we understand she had hard choices to make, and are willing to come to an accord as long as her requests are reasonable.

[ ] Cooperative. Assure her that I am on her side, and willing to go with her plans they seem agreeable.

[ ] Write-in

The above will only be for the initial impression, and not the entirety of the meeting. Depending on how it goes, I can change how I reply as the discussion shifts.

[X]For Ran: there specifically to help Ran stand on her own over the other influences on her. If Yukari is offering means to accomplish that, good, neutral on all other subjects.

My flight to Hakugyokurou was relatively uneventful, giving me plenty of time to ruminate over the upcoming meeting. As I flew, my mind ran full with arguments, counter arguments, and potential verbal traps that Yukari would set. But it was a hard thing, to prepare for an opponent whose wants I knew nothing about.

Regardless of my internal thoughts, Ran’s provided map was comprehensive enough that I had no issues finding the gateway to Hakugyokurou, high up as it was, located in the clouds. And once I neared, it was impossible to miss. At the very edge of the great border, wooden pillars floated solemnly, shrouded in fog, and near transparent steps lead up to a gate as tall as the Hakurei Shrine grounds were wide. Ran’s advice to bundle up was highly appreciated. Beyond the usual cold of the high-altitude air, a chill – that seemed to come from within, rather than without – also grew more and more apparent the closer I got.

As I touched down at the top of the steps, I spied a lone girl dressed in green, standing below the towering gates. She approached – deceptively quickly – and gave me a stiff, formal bow, so practiced it may have been done thousands of times.

“Greetings,” she said, in a tone tight with formality. “Are you Master Ren? I am Konpaku Youmu, and have been expecting your arrival.”

The name was familiar. Ran had mentioned her briefly before I set off. Konpaku Youmu was the gardener of Hakugyokurou, serving as the mistress’ retainer and swordsmaster.

Youmu stood out - her features were striking, with white hair, white eyes, and an elegantly noble face. She wore a stern expression, veering close to a constant glare. At her side a white, transparent phantom floated, bobbing along with her every motion. While the girl looked like she was in early adulthood, I’ve been in Gensokyo long enough for me to know that looks didn’t factor a whit into how ancient they were. From her composure, I would maybe guess… several centuries, maybe close to a millennium? A sword hung at her back and another at her waist sash, and her ease around the blades hinted at her skill with them. I hastily returned her bow as graciously as I could manage.

“Er, yes. That would be me, Lady Youmu. Lady Yukari Yakumo requested that I meet her here. I assume that she mentioned my arrival to you?”

The girl puffed up a bit at my respectful tone. That threw me off somewhat. That immediate shift in poise… maybe she was only a few centuries old? Five or six?

“Yes,” she replied, slightly less curt than before. “Lady Yukari is currently a guest of my lady, and had asked to use our estates to hold discussions, as her current household is unavailable to her. My lady was happy enough to oblige her request.”

…‘unavailable’? Curious. But any further thoughts had to wait, as Youmu gestured me to follow her. With a groan of ancient wood, the gate was pushed open, and she slipped through the slim crack. Taking a deep breath, I followed.

On the other side, a seemingly endless grey staircase trailed upwards, higher and higher into the clouds. I couldn’t help but wince. It looked hundreds of times longer than the one at the Hakurei Shrine.

But thankfully, I was not expected to climb it. Youmu took flight, and I followed behind her, flying just above the steps of carved stone. The size of the structure was truly staggering – and shrouded in fog as it all was, I could still not see its end. I wondered if it was truly an actual manmade construction, or something almost… conceptually tied to whatever area of Netherworld that Hakugyokurou resided in. Willed into being along with the myths that created this realm.

“Has Yukari – Lady Yukari, sorry – mentioned anything about why she wanted to meet me?” I said, raising my voice above the rushing wind.

Youmu’s response was brusque.

“No, and it was not my position to ask. The lady’s matters are her own.”

The woman was probably not a fan of casual chatter. Taking the hint, I directed my gaze away from my guide and started scanning my surroundings. And that’s when I started seeing the phantoms.

Like bits of glowing white haze, a small number drifted aimlessly through the air, “populating” the cloudy skies with their presence. They lingered in clumps, hovering together like they sought a semblance of companionship with their fellows. Some of them drifted closer - I reached out hesitantly to touch one as I flew by, and it phased through my fingers like nothing was there. The chill within my bones only grew stronger.

“Please don’t touch the denizens,” said Youmu, not looking back. “Human touch reminds them of their mortal lives, and only makes it harder for them to let go.”

I quickly retracted my hand.

“Oh! Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be,” Youmu replied. “I should have mentioned it. It’s… it’s been a while, since mortals set foot on the path to Hakugyokurou. My lady usually initiates visits on her own, so beyond flower viewing season visitors seldom decide to make the trip. It… well, the estates are admittedly a long way from anything else.”

“Well, it certainly isn’t on the way to anything. How about you then? Do you often need to leave the estates?” I asked.

“From time to time. My work keeping the grounds tidy keeps me busy enough, but I occasionally need to purchase supplies from the village. While Lady Yukari plies my lady with gifts, sometimes we need things that are actually practica – I mean, things that are necessary for the day to day.”

I decided to ignore the slip of the tongue. But it did give me valuable insight. From Ran’s briefing, I knew that Yukari and the Lady of Hakugyokurou – Saigyouji Yuyuko – were well acquainted. It was good to know that Youmu at least was not as partial to the gap youkai as her mistress was.

“Speaking of which, how long till –”

And then, we finally crested the top of the stairs.

Visually, it was like stepping from a dim, lightless cavern and finally reaching the surface. The world opened up again, and the haze and the fog had subsided into a bright sunrise. An elegant Japanese style manor appeared before my eyes, its wide walls surrounding a stone Zen garden courtyard, the building’s rooftops covered with a thin layer of snow. Even larger were the surrounding gardens, filled with lines and lines of cherries in full bloom, an entire forest of them – spread out further than the eye could see. In the far distance, I saw a gnarled old tree, the only one not flowering in the estate. It dwarfed the buildings around it; in fact, it was taller than most skyscrapers that I’ve seen in the outside world.

Youmu seemed pleased by my awe. Pretending not to notice, she landed, humming to herself as she led me down the winding path to the main doors.

“Mind your step,” she cautioned. “It’s easy to get lost, especially for newcomers.”

More phantoms dotted the grounds, and I steered clear of them as I walked. As they gave Youmu a wide berth, it was a simple thing to just follow behind her. When a more aggressive spirit approached, Youmu merely had to touch the hilt of her blades for it to scramble away rapidly.

With a practiced heave, Youmu opened the front doors and stepped in, motioning for me where I should put my shoes. I stood in something resembling a reception hall, of sorts. Nearby windows opened inwards into the Zen garden that I had seen while I was still in the air.

“Would you like for me to take your coat?” asked Youmu politely, closing the door behind me. I shook my head.

“No thank you, if that’s alright. There’s too much in it that I’d like to keep close at hand.”

Youmu nodded. “Understood. Lady Yukari is already waiting in one of the guest rooms. Come, I will lead you to her.”

I was taken down the covered veranda, with the Zen garden to my side. A muffled silence permeated the mansion even as our footsteps echoed against the polished wood floor. Despite how clean and well-kept it all was, the surroundings oddly enough did not feel lived in at all. Even without dust, it felt… lifeless. A breeze rustled through the nearby cherry trees, and wind chimes—old, delicate—sang a lonely, crystalline note.

Youmu picked out a door in the hallway, and opened it. She gave me another shallow bow.

“I will be in the central courtyard when you are done. Feel free to call me at any time.”

I looked inside. The room was austere but dignified: minimal furnishings, scrolls hanging on the walls, cushions neatly arranged around a low table. And then in the middle of the room, I saw Yukari.

It was the same face that I had seen in Ran’s memories. Despite the centuries that passed, Yakumo Yukari had barely changed. The same golden blonde hair, the same refined face. Her clothing was different, however; instead of the plain violet garb I remembered seeing her in, today she wore a pale western style dress, over which hanged a tabard with Taoist iconography - similar to Ran’s own day-to-day clothing. Her white mop cap, decorated in crimson string, lay on the tea table.

Yukari sipped at her tea. She flashed me a kind smile.

“Come. Sit with me. I had promised safety, and I am not one to break promises – especially in the house of one of my closest friends.”

Trying to hide my hesitation I nodded my thanks to Youmu as she left us, and stepped over to the low table, folding my legs under me on the tatami mat. Yukari took the pot of the tea on the table. She poured me a cup, and pushed it towards me delicately.

“Here. Drink. The journey to Hakugyokurou is always a long one, no matter where you start from. Death must always have some distance away from life, both figuratively and literally, for everyone to be comfortable with either.”

I eyed the cup for a second and took a sip, murmuring my thanks. Yukari smiled again, and steepled her fingers together.

“Now then. As much as I dislike formalities, some rituals are present for a reason, and it is their continued existence that reminds us of their significance. Allow me to introduce myself, formally.”

Yukari bowed her head. Her eyes glittered and she spoke, her words soft.

“I am Yukari Yakumo, the Youkai of Boundaries, a Sage of Gensokyo, and master to Yakumo Ran. Gensokyo’s safety is my highest concern, the sole principle upon which all my goals stem. May I know your name?”

I put down my cup with a soft click. Words leapt out of my mouth, unbidden, unrehearsed.

“I… go by Ren in Gensokyo. While initially a thief blackmailed into service, I am now earnestly, an ally to Yakumo Ran. I only wish that she can stand on her own, and find the path that she yearns for.”

Yukari’s eyes narrowed a fraction of a hair. I touched my lips, wondering.

“Honesty begets honesty,” she said, with a slight shrug. “I spoke truth, and you matched my sincerity. You already know much about my methods, I believe; I have also done my homework on what you know, and have kept watch over how events have progressed. This is a good beginning. I dislike lying, and would prefer us avoid the usual dance of untruths.”

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. I did not know Yukari well, as Ran had declined to tell me any of her foibles in fear of influencing me. But…

“You… dislike lying?” I said, trying to hide my skepticism.

Yukari couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Is that too hard to imagine? But let me be more specific. There are some deceits that are useless in their entirety, and only serve to waste time. Those deserve our loathing. But there can be multiple truths that coexist, independently of each other. For example…”

She lay out her right hand on the table, palm facing upwards

“Say an emperor falls to a rival power; the record keepers brand him with the sins of lust and debauchery, of cruelties unimaginable. They say that he was astray by women and drink, for the moral of the story is to avoid such temptations. That is one truth, and a good one.”

She laid out another hand, placed opposite her right.

“However; consider instead that it was the hubris of the emperor that had roused the wrath of fickle gods. How a devious seductress was sent – specifically – to destroy him, and all he held dear. How the ensuing war destroyed thousands of lives, both mortal and divine. That… is also truth. In a matter of speaking.”

She slowly held her palms together.

“Youkai exist in the slim gap between these truths, Ren. That is how we live. In between truths that may have once been falsehoods, and find our own interpretations that suit us best. In Gensokyo I have made it easier, by giving us all a safe sanctuary for all of us to seek that interpretation. Wind gods who wish instead to delve into modern technology; werehakutaku, that wish to mentor children instead of kings.”

She locked gazes with me.

“But for some, a feasible, peaceful existence – lays outside the gap.”

My breath caught. Here was finally the issue at hand, lay bare.

“How do you know?” I asked quietly. “Those two truths of yours don’t seem to be concrete – you implied that they could have been falsehoods before. They could be malleable enough to change further.”

Yukari nodded. But it was a noncommittal gesture.

“True. All things are possible, given enough time. But just in a few days?” she arched an eyebrow. “I fear that you have grossly underestimated how the situation is devolving. Every minute, Ran’s mental arithmetic shifts; even across the space of mere hours, the Ran you meet with after our talk is probably not going to be the same Ran you left today.”

“Then where were you?” I asked, trying my best to keep my voice level. “If Ran is your shikigami, how did you allow for things to get this bad? The whole time with the outsiders, Ran’s situation… we had thought you indisposed, or taking care of something more urgent – but it doesn’t seem like that, does it?”

For a brief second, Yukari dropped her gaze. But her eyes swiftly found my own again – but to me, they revealed little about her inner thoughts.

“This was… a long time coming,” she admitted, folding her arms together. “I had optimistically hoped my solution a permanent one; but time makes fools of us all. Across centuries, everything seemed fine, good even; I felt no hide nor hair of our two troublemakers, and thus delighted in a job well done. But all myths resurface eventually. All cages, no matter how strong, eventually rust. And recently, it happened – I felt them stirring behind their bars. In a matter of days, it got to a point that I realized that the cage of ‘Ran’ that I created would break eventually, and informing Ran of it would only hasten the process.”

I nodded, motioning quietly for her to continue. But I had a feeling that I wouldn’t like what I heard next.

“My presence was doing more harm than good. I could feel their return, step by step, and every day I stayed by Ran I could feel them rustling beneath the surface. Unconscious though it may be, they hate me, fear me, bristle at my every action – I do not blame them for it. Nevertheless, staying beside Ran would only ensure that when the chains eventually snapped, the two would be vicious beyond compare. Uncontainable. Compare it to now, where Ran still barely holds the reins; and with her help, we can chain them down once more.”

I blinked in disbelief.

“That’s… that’s the reason you allowed her to go through all that she did?” I said, my voice almost a shout. “No support from anyone else that you could call on? You let her deal with the intruders herself? After all the time you’ve spent together, and how she’s supported you for centuries?”

Yukari’s voice was mild. “Not the first time she’s dealt with trespassers. Unlikely to be the last. She is powerful, and has more than enough resources to defend herself. She was never in true danger—”

“But with Daji and Tamamo no Mae present, already creating complications—”

“She would have never been severely harmed or killed, either way,” said Yukari, raising her voice slightly. “Why did you think no one has killed her, and instead attempt sealings, or in my case something even more sophisticated? She is the amalgamation of the two most powerful fox youkai that had ever lived; she would not have died to costumed thugs, the bare dregs of talent that populate the outside world. The only risk was how she would have unfolded upon herself. And my absence would only help in that regard. Your intervention, however, was admittedly valuable – which is why we are having this discussion in the first place. She trusts you now, and your word means something.”

I bit back a furious comment, but Yukari had no such considerations. She continued, cutting me off from any upcoming objections.

“Entertain a thought experiment with me, Ren,” drawled Yukari. “What would you do, if you returned from our little meeting, talked to Ran and she decided that it’s best if she returns to being those two mass murderers?”

“It wouldn’t be what she wants!” I protested. “She’s made it clear that she wants to make a decision now, while she’s still in control of the situation.”

Yukari made a tsk noise with her tongue. “You mean while the current version of Ran still is in control of the situation. Daji and Tamamo no Mae are Ran, and vice versa. If you value free will, then you must take into account their decisions as well. They are not ‘influences’ like an angel and devil on her shoulder; they are her. You cannot pick and choose only the decisions you like.”

My hand tightened around my teacup. “Thay may be so – but Ran’s true self is still a separate consciousness, personality. The three are too different to be considered the same. As I understand it, Ran went through most of her life without even considering the values of her hidden consciousness. All I want is for that to be her life again.”

Yukari hummed. A quiet huff escaped her, laced with tired amusement.

“The idea of a “true self” is a myth. Our existence is an ever-evolving consciousness, and valuing one particular junction over another is just a matter of personal bias, rather than objective truth. I can tell you that I am biased – biased against the idea that the two be set loose upon this world that I’ve painstakingly crafted throughout the years. So I’ll dispense with any hypocrisy and carry out my will. The two foxes must be sealed again – that is my goal. No matter how it is accomplished.”

That was the key to all of it, wasn’t it? The solution. What Yukari had in store, and likely what she had planned from the start. She drew out her fan from her sleeves, and with a soft flick of her wrist, unfurled it, hiding her mouth behind the designs of lilac petals.

“There is ultimately, only one way to resolve this,” said Yukari lightly. “Repeat the process, as I did so in the past. With your help, and Ran's agreement; or ultimately, with or without her acquiescence. I'll draw out her two true personas, and lock them down in their initial vow. And then repeat what I did millennia ago, burying them again in the strain of endless battle. Wipe the slate clean. Then, we can… install ‘Ran’ again. A clean version.”

Her eyes were weary, but determined.

“I have backups from my first time, of course.”

[ ] Agree to try and talk with Ran to follow Yukari’s plan.

[ ] Agree verbally but with no intention of following through. Instead, try to use the opportunity to get closer and nab a hair.

[ ] Disagree. Ran is still in control – with everyone’s help, especially Yukari’s, an attempt can be made to keep her that way.

[ ] Disagree. Ran is still in control, and can be helped to maintain it. Try and get a hair also, during the conversation.

[ ] Write in (questions, clarifications, arguments for Yukari, actions, etc)