Day in, day out, it's always the same thing.

At the crack of dawn you're already up and en route to the village. It doesn't take long to get there when you can fly, though you try to stay low to the ground as you draw closer so as to not attract attention. Before entering the village you hide any obvious signs you don't belong and amble towards the store.

The man in charge is a geezer, as far as you're concerned. He always insists that he has a lot of life left in him, but you know better. People all die eventually, though you hope he hangs around for a while yet. After all, if he dies then you'll need to find a new job!

Anyway, after running into the old man and getting your morning greeting you get straight to work. It's not easy work, though the only hard part is settling for something so boring. These days you have the whole thing down to a routine, where you sweep after every ten or so customers that come through.

Occasionally the old man breaks his routine by having you sweep after a particularly messy guest, or by interrupting the constant breaks you allow yourself by having you help a customer get something off a shelf. Sometimes he even has you load what they bought into a cart for them, or sends you to help them carry it to their house!

None of that matters, though. The only thing that matters is when she comes through.

Every other day she stops in, usually carrying meat and vegetables she already bought elsewhere. Most of the time she'll just look at the old man's wares while talking to him, only occasionally buying something. Those are the best days, since you get to volunteer to help her carry whatever she bought.

Today is one of those days.

You nod at the old man as you exit the shop, awkwardly clutching a weird box as you go. The thing's pretty unwieldy and kinda heavy, but you're more than willing to carry it if it's for her.

She smiles the way she usually does. It's a gentle, genuine smile that makes your heart melt any time you see it. You follow excitedly after her while clutching the weird box and try to say something, but no words will come out. T

“Hey~”

I continue to sweep the path. The newcomer’s voice is a routine and, as usual, she’ll swoop in and start talking whether or not I acknowledge her greeting.

“Hey!!”

She crashes right next to me. Leaves, branches, and other oddities in my neat pile are spread all over the path. My work is gone, but I don’t even blink. I’m used to it.

“Hi, Marisa,” I mutter, beginning my sweeping anew.

“Reimu, have ya heard about the ghost girl?”

I shrug noncommittally. Her greeting is abrupt, and follows a train of thought that I am not privy to; however, I have no need to ask questions, because she’ll just tell me everything.

“A little girl ‘as been showin’ up at night, terrorizin’ villagers.”

“Sounds like another urban legend.”

“What, after all that trouble we went to with the occult balls? Nah, this is somethin’ else. Besides, it’s more than just the hauntin’,” she continues. “The girl is one o’ the villagers ‘erself. Not a youkai. She disappeared the night before all the terrorizin’ began. Rumours are spreadin’ that she died and is hauntin’ the town.”

I freeze, looking up from my work. Her expression is blank, but I can see excitement in her eyes. She’s come here to get me involved, I already know it. As troublesome as these sorts of things are, I can’t leave a situation like that alone. I pry her for more details. “Do you have any leads?”

“I don’t have anythin’ yet. I came to ya as soon as I heard about the major stuff. Thought you’d be interested.”

I set my broom against a nearby pole. “It sounds troublesome. Especially since we just finished dealing with an incident. If this ends up being the fault of the Lunarians again...” I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing loudly. “...I’ll assume that this is something unrelated, for now.”

“So, you gonna check into it?”

[ ] Yeah, I’ll go ask some villagers. I need some more information.
[ ] I doubt there’s much I’m missing, so I’ll visit the village at night and look for this “ghost.”
[ ] Let’s sit on it. Until something else happens t

Let's see pants, shirts and other clothes are all accounted for so are your books, games and the rest of your stuff, nodding to yourself you close your brief case, a green one with brown straps that would look more at home in the previous century, and your sky blue duffel bag.

You quickly give yourself a once over making sure your hazel nut hair aren't chaos incarnate or that you need to shave. satisfied you sling your bag unto your shoulder with some difficulty and grab the brief case before leaving the room after making sure everything was locked.

As you walk through the corridor you can't help but be exited at the prospect of returning to japan, the last time you were there was a blast! You met colorful people (sometime literally) both at and outside of work and unlike last time you were going there only for fun!... Yeah right the Japanese division is definitely going to bug you when you arrive in Tokyo at least until you start your road trip with Subaru and Sukoshiro after that you will be free to do what you want, might even go see that “indestructible” torii in Nagasaki if your travel take you there.

As you open the door you are greeted by...
“bamboo? What?”
That can't be normal, as you try to figure out just what this is about you hear a sound from behind you, spinning around as fast as you can you immediately notice the absence of the door that brought you here.
You declare your state of mind to the world with an eloquent “well fuck.”

Looking around to see just where you are you can only see bamboo, the stuff is everywhere stalks preventing you from seeing farther than a handful of meters and that's being generous, leaves littering the ground and shoots poking out of said ground here and there. But as you look around you can't help but hear as well the forest is fairly quiet the only sound being the rustling of the bamboo and the leaves as well as the wind, wait scratch that you can't hear the wind.

...Hold on if there's no wind how can the bamboo and leaves rustle? You then suddenly feel a breath behind you, prompting you to turn sloooooooowly.

What you se

You dream.

In your weapon cum chariot cum coffin, you float between the stars and you dream, content and alone. Your story ended at a time and place of your choosing. You made the best decisions you could have based on the information you had at the time and your own judgement. You followed your heart and you regret nothing.

Unfortunately, your dreams are a completely different matter. Replaying pivotal moments over and over, abstractly shoving your life in your face, you are all but bathing in your own legacy, ever questioning your choices. If you had sought greater power, would you have found it? With it, would you have done things differently? Were the sacrifices needed to get that power greater or lesser than what was lost when you turned your back on it all? At the time, you decided they were greater.

Sometimes the dreams are less intense. Flashbacks from the very beginning, when you were barely more than a girl, when you first touched on power at all. The choice you had to make that day, in a different dream altogether. The sword, power to stand against anything. The staff, indirect and non-obvious might. The shield, for those who have the will to protect and endure.

Sometimes they are simply fond memories, like the moment you discovered your own magical nature. Of the fourteen known elements, you touched yours in a burst of inspiration shortly after unlocking your inner potential. It is a part of you; in a way it always was even before you knew magic was real. It is said that those of similar dispositions are destined to cross paths one day, for good or ill.

Time has been meaningless to your dreaming self. You do not notice when the impact occurs, and you do not feel the spinning as you veer out of control. You crash into a barrier, then plunge through, tearing a hole behind you. A second barrier allows you through without resistance; a forgotten and unneeded figure such as yourself is welcomed in a place such as this with (figurative) open arms.


[***]

In a bamboo-secluded manor, a great mind turns its concerned attention outside and upwards after hearing chatter about an unanticipated wide-scale meteor sho

"If you see the Buddha on the side of the road, spook him."

My clever turn of phrase nearly cost me a great opportunity. I bit my lip to avoid giggling and giving away my position. The Myouren Temple's appearance in the Human Village had been like someone giving me my very own chicken farm. Lots of travellers and young'uns, and rooms full of people sitting silently with their eyes closed. It's every karakasa's dream.

In fact, this wasn't the first time my target -- a youkai modelled after some exotic beast called a 'tiger' -- would be getting a dose of the Kogasa treatment. Just last week she was sitting in this very same spot, cross-legged, breathing slowly. I crept up close, evading every dry leaf and twig in my way, before leaning in and giving her my best "booga-booga-bleh!"

The claw marks healed pretty quickly, but the satisfaction lasted for days.

To my delight, as I peeked over the shrubbery around the temple yard I saw that the tiger lady wasn't alone today. A woman with mouse ears and a tail, obviously not young but still pretty tiny, was sitting almost shoulder-to-shoulder with her.

Facing the two of them with her eyes closed was an older woman with big, curly hair that changed from purple to blonde. Even just sitting, I could tell she was pretty tall, and pretty cut, too. She didn't look like a bodybuilder, but she definitely kept in shape. I got a very mom-like vibe looking at her.

I hovered over the shrubs... careful now... and crept close to the mouse girl... careful...

Suddenly, the mom-looking lady's eyes opened. She looked right at me, as if she'd known I was there the whole time, and smiled at me like I had just shown up early for a party. She pointed at me (how rude) and then pointed to the hallway behind me, hoping for me to leave them in peace.

Sorry, lady, but you'd have more luck asking a child not to eat a cake.

I stuck my tongue out at her, continuing my stealthy approach towards the other two. She started to unfold her legs and stand up. I'd have to take advantage of the situation before she--

--ran in

It takes a while for me to really finalize everything in my head, but... it's a bit upsetting when you realize your reasons for an action are so terribly banal. Because I have to admit, the day-to-day has been... lethargic, to me. Sure, today has been hectic, but... that's how things usually go. Weeks or months of nothing, and then a few hours of heart-pumping action. I'm not saying it's bad; it's nice to have so much free time in my life.

All the same, having a bit more structure in my schedule wouldn't be too bad, either. Hell, Mima always had something for me to do every day, even when she wasn't around. And I remember Keine always assigning us homework too; repetition's the mother of learning, right?

But all the legitimate justifications and explanations doesn't wash away the fact that I'm adding more classes 'cause I'm bored. ...It's a bad taste.

"Ah, Marisa? Are you there?" Byakuren's gentle voice coaxes me out of my thoughts, making me realize that I'm staring like an idiot at two lovely ladies.

So it's totally natural that I try to save some face. It's instinctive! "Sorry, I was getting lost in your eyes," I shamelessly tell her, gently fluttering my lashes.. And if Akyuu's angrily sobbing into her hands, I absolutely don't notice. Neither does Byakuren, who demurely bows her head and looks away.

"My apologies, Marisa. I just seem to have that effect on people." Her voice is rich and warm, the low tones filled with gentle... accomidation, if not acceptance.

"No, that's all on me. I really should have been paying attention," I tell them both. And Akyuu's silent mutter of 'Yes, yes you should have' is sweet disapproval~

Still, I can't play the fool all the time, least of all with my students. It'd be a disservice to them, if they want to learn. But my head's still in a jumble, and I've always found it easier to write things out first.

It&#

The decision to help all beings achieve enlightenment and happiness is the meaning of being a Bodhisattva. This can take many forms, and may happen in life, or happen after choosing to descend from heaven to help others.

"Delusions are inexhaustible, I vow to end them."

---

Senses, something alien after a thousand years, scents of a forest, the feeling of the hard ground around you, it’s overwhelming.
The sun is bright, even behind closed eyes. You pull on the ground and hoist yourself to a sitting position finally opening your eyes.

…

White… a white path seemingly going on for miles, with the faint outline of a building in the distance shadowed by the morning sun. Where are you?

A snap, you clutch your head in pain, memories coming to bear all at once in your brain, you see them, fighting for your attention, a war, a journey, a decision, too vague to make out amidst the pain, but one thing stands out as the memories fade, the reason you descended.

“Sister…”

You remember now, your sister, Byakuren. So distraught by your death she sought power, immortality with the help of youkai, little more than animals. All creatures have a path in life and should be respected, and youkai are no different, there are those who are good, and those that must be destroyed, but your sister has placed preference.

To work with youkai over man is the very antithesis of your teachings.

You used your magic’s to help the weak, those who should walk the path to enlightenment, not unopposed, but safe, and when it came time, your sister learned as well. It appears she has grown drunk on the power, or perhaps merely blinded with grief, you must help her.

But first you must find her, a quick glance shows the path is made out of ornate stone, marked by lanterns of the same material, it’s well worn and appears to be traveled frequently, behind the path goes on around a corner, but you can see smoke in the distance, a village perhaps?

Around you sits a forest, thick, and undisturbed.

Where are you going?

[] Make your way towards the building.
[] Head towards the smoke.
[]

“Motoori Kosuzu.”

The young redheaded librarian, who walks around with chiming bells in her hair. The girl who loves knowledge in all its forms, and doesn't believe in Things Humanity Was Not Meant To Know. The pure, earnest girl who believes in heroes and fairy tales.

And I want her to believe in me. To look at me with adoration and simple, easy faith. The way she looks at Reimu, the way she looks at Akyuu.

The crystal ball glows orange as soon as Kosuzu's name leaves my lips. It floats away from me and into Mima's waiting hands; my mentor scrunches over it, using her billowing sleeves to hide the ball from my view. Her clothing isn't quite thick enough to hide the light. The blue mood of the dream tent's ruined by the orange light, and it even feels warmer. Happier.

“Well, let's see,.” Mima intones with all pomp and seriousness. I can't help but lean towards her, losing myself in the atmosphere. “Kosuzu. You could certainly do worse. And you already know why you like her. But love is understanding, in its deepest form – can you tell me who Kosuzu is fond of, and why?”

The words come out slowly, but naturally – there's no hint of resentment or jealousy. And I'm not sure if it's because of the dream, or... oh, I don't know. “She has a crush on Mamizou because Mamizou plays mysterious stranger really, really well. Mamizou has that cultured, sophisticated aura to her when she tries, and it helps that she's damn good with magic.

“Reimu... Kosuzu doesn't really interact with Reimu too much, but she grew up listening to stories of the Hakurei clan. Hell, I grew up with those stories, and Mom's from Outside. Gensokyo's a land where fairy tales are still real, and who doesn't want to get rescued by Princess Charming?

“And... if Mamizou is Kosuzu's version of a mancrush, and Reimu's the fairy tale lover... then Akyuu's probably the one she's actually in love with.”

The scene slowly changes, from the cramp and smoky fortune teller'

"Welllll..." Reimu begins by settling onto the porch with tea in hand. "The Human Village totals roughly 100,000 people, and lies in the geographic center of Gensokyo. A good amount of the population is dedicated to working the surrounding farmland, but there's only so much you can do before all you can do is wait, so the village still has a bustling commercial district."

The lecture pauses as Reimu sips from her steaming cup, with her pale lips open just slightly, to seal themselves against the ceramic. Her eyes close as she tastes the bitter brew, a small hum escapes her lips, and the poor shrine maiden seems to glow with happiness.

"This is a really good brew, Marisa. Where did you get it?"

"Ah! It's Kourin's special blend. He made an extra batch this time, so I helped myself!"

Reimu catches my smirk of course, but since she smiles and shakes her head, she's not chastising me like usual. I guess she doesn't mind so long as she benefits. How mercenary of her! But I could use this.

"Riiiiight. Anyways - the wall is manned by a rotating militia. It's mostly just for show now that the Spellcard System is in place, but sometimes younger youkai get frisky. Keine's been trying to teach the younger kids about danmaku, but it never was her best subject, so..." She shrugs. "Outsiders usually come to me to head back instead of staying, and those who do stay usually just... go native, I guess. Why are you asking me, anyways? You were born and raised there, so you'd know more than me."

"Eheheh... well!" I take a drink from my own cup - but the tea's still steaming hot, and it burns me on the way down. I wince and cough a bit while Reimu just looks on with amusement. How she drinks it this hot, I'll never know. "I, uh. I got into a bet. With Patchy."

There's a pause in the conversation, although actual silence never descends upon us. It's spring again, and we can both hear Lily's screams echoing in the distance, accompanied by birdsong and the swaying of branches. The shrine grounds a

Today, you received a letter. While getting letters isn't rare at all, there is something different about this one. Perhaps it's because of the red splatter on it that looks like blood. Or perhaps it's because of the stone that's inside. Hopefully, the stone won't turn out to be a shard of poison. They've done that before, and you had to spend several hours in a trance to cleanse your body and the air around you. All because your mother happens to be a youkai, and some people think that makes you a man-eater.

Regardless. The letter. You slide the blunt edge of your knife into the envelope, tear open one side and peek inside. There's a gemstone in there. Still doubtful, you turn the envelope around and tap the bottom until the gem falls onto the table. Deciding it's not poison, you pick it up for a closer look. It's an irregularly shaped, smooth and generally round black gemstone with a speck of light suspended inside. Odd, but perhaps the letter will explain.

“Greetings,” reads the letter, “Lately I have been hearing rumors of something powerful being scattered around Gensokyo in pieces. I thought it was only rumors until, by chance, I found one piece myself, included with this letter, and did some... research. It seems as if there are nine pieces in total. Your job, Seimei, is to gather them.
According to everything I've heard about them, they are the pieces of some item of immense power. If we ever want to fulfill our dream of equality, we need this power on our side.
Below is everything we know about the possible locations of these pieces:
-It seems like the Hakurei shrine, the Moriya shrine and the Myouren temple each have one piece.
-This is also true for the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the Eientei.
-The sixth piece is rumored to be somewhere underground.
-We know nothing of the remaining two pieces.

-Seven
PS. I cut myself while writing this. Sorry.”

Haaah... You sigh. Looks like she's landed you in a fine mess once again. What the hell is she thinking?
...whatever.
Your stall is waiting downstairs.

“Shirou, go get some more rice from the store room. It seems lik