[13] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{1} Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way.
-{1} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
-{7} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
-{4} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
[8] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.

There was no time to think - Marisa broke into a run. Whatever Kotohime had mentioned about the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, she wanted to know more.

“Look out for the shadows!” The shout got the police officer’s attention, and she looked up at the wall - before rappelling two feet down to dodge the lunge of a serpentine silhouette. Kokoa swore, flipping her head back to look at the new arrival - and squinting into the light.

Marisa shoved her hand into her pocket, pulling out the cracked virtual pet on a keychain. Spinning it rapidly around her finger, she swung it around into the edge of the light - creating a shadow resembling a ball-and-chain, with a correspondingly heavy effect on a draconic image that was caught in its swing. The islander heard the groan of branches snapping, and the topiary dragon that silhouette came from seemed to have its head sag slightly.

“Woah, tricky!” Kotohime gave a big grin, glancing at her own moving shadow. “Man, that’s a good one. Not good enough to catch me, though!”

The police officer half-climbed, half ran in a diagonal, avoiding the snake silhouette’s bite, and emerging out the far side of its shadow. She flipped off the wall as she got above the reptilian outline, creating a loop in the rope - whose shadow caught on the serpent’s neck, choking it and hoisting it upwards. Marisa heard the snake’s bushy counterpart uproot itself, with an explosion of dirt showering just outside of the floodlight. Kokoa cursed - in a quite literal sense, judging by the red glow she was spitting with her words.

The changeling grinned, deciding to try another idea. Palming the small keychain, she put her hands together and made the vague shape of a wolfs’ head. The shadow that formed seemed to have a mind of its own - Marisa felt her hands jerk downward to snap at the dazed dragon, seizing it by the neck - she could even feel leaves between her fingers. She yanked back, pulling her wolf-shadow and the dragon upwards with it - and got a shower of soil and leaves for her troubles.

She gave a cocky grin, trying to think of what to try next - but the older youkai was on her now, reaching out to snatch at the young kid. Marisa dived to dodge the woman’s grip, rolling through the upturned dirt as something small rushed through the grass past her.

“Where the hell did you come from?!” Kokoa spun on her feet, launching herself at Marisa again. The islander dived back into the spotlight’s glare, and fired a blast of danmaku at the demon. “Are you that child soldier she mentioned?!”

“No idea what she’s talking about,” Marisa said with a cocky grin, “but don’t you think a sneak attack’s a low blow?” The closest she got to an answer was a yank backwards by the neck of her jacket. She hit the ground hard, bewildered - and it didn’t help when something began to press on her chest.

She looked to the spotlight, and realised she’d been caught by the shadow of a bat statue further ahead. It leant over her, close enough for Marisa to feel its breath on her face. Kokoa growled, straightening up.

“Just stay there, brat. I’ll get back to you shortly.” She turned to the wall Kotohime was on, reaching out to snatch for her. Being significantly closer to the spotlight, it made her twice the size of the climbing woman - allowing her to easily reach above her opponent, and grab the rope. The police officer let out a squawk as she was hauled back from her attempted kick on another shadow.

Marisa squirmed, trying to get free of the bat statue’s phantom grip. Its stony embrace left no room to maneuver, and trying to push it off was a fool’s errand. She scanned the ground around her, looking for anything she could grab - but there was nothing she could find.

Then… she felt something. An ominous presence above her. She turned to the silhouettes on the wall, only to see the black phantasm of a crocodilian maw hanging over the bat. The statue’s phantasm looked up, slowly, reluctance in every part of its body.

“Let go… of my friend!”

The crocodile’s maw snapped shut - and the statue exploded into rocks, showering the changeling. Marisa didn’t waste a second, scrambling back to her feet to run out the side of the light once again.

Once she was well clear of the risk of blinding herself, she turned to the floodlight, meeting Mike’s worried look with a big grin and a thumbs-up. Seeing her friend safe, the maneki-neko pulled her arms back, jamming on a switch with her elbow - and throwing the area into darkness.

“Heyheyhey, why’d you turn it off?!” The islander ran up to her friend, nearly running into the floodlight while her eyes were adjusting. “I wanted to try more puppets!”

“But I wanted to try this,” was the catgirl’s response, as she flourished an ability card. She slammed it onto the control panel, giving a nervous smile as the Seed wormed in. “Aim it at that Kokoa woman!”

Marisa nodded, glancing out over the grounds and spinning the device to focus on the angry youkai now rushing towards them. Mike put her hands together, yelling out something like a buddhist sutra and making the shape of a prayer. Though judging by the fact the changeling pretty clearly heard ‘spotlight’ in there, it was probably a fake-out of some sort.

It wasn’t much longer before she figured out the real purpose. She grinned, smirking at the guardian now hesitating before her friend. “With the blessings of Goutoku-ji…” Marisa raised her fist high. “We smite you, demon!”

She slammed down on the switch, hitting Kokoa with the full force of the spotlight. The light didn’t look any different to her… but the youkai screamed in fear, launching straight up into the air. Marisa saw two leathery wings burst out, as the youkai flew around the side of the building to take cover.

The two girls cheered, sharing a high-five - but it was only seconds later that their celebration would prove premature. When the winged Kokoa swooped around from the far side of the building to lunge at the girls, it was already too late to re-aim the faux-holy weapon. The imp’s danmaku forced the pair to dive to the side, letting her reclaim the spotlight.

“You damn brats and your little tricks- do you have any idea what you’re doing?!” Kokoa roared, glaring at them as she touched down on the ground. “Whatever trick you used for that, I’m gonna make bloody sure you regret it!”

Marisa back up, keeping her friend behind her. “You were gonna use your shadow magic on her! We had to do something!”

“No, you didn’t! All she’d be left with is a headache!” The imp through her arms wide. “We’re not allowed to go about killing inconvenient idiots, because we have to lay low - don’t you realise what’s at stake?! We can’t just - just let some powerless whackadoo go running about our building! Do you have any idea how much trouble she can cause?!”

“No, they don’t… and I’m sure you don’t either.” Kotohime’s voice was icy, taking on a chill that seemed wholly disjointed from the woman they’d heard earlier. The trio of youkai paused, looking around frantically for the source of the voice. Mike was the first to see the answer - and when the other two saw where she was looking, they followed her gaze skyward.

The police officer was riding on a cloud about as wide as a car, glaring down at the imp with an eerie intensity. She was surrounded by floating black orbs, with red glows coming from the center of each one. The employed youkai was at a loss for words, sputtering. “Y-you… you can…?”

“If you’re a youkai, and you’re threatening a pair of kids… then I’ve got no reason to hold back, Miss Kokoa.” Kotohime raised her hand high, the orbs around her spinning ever faster. “So let’s put an end to this, shall we?”

Marisa felt dread clutch at her. As Kokoa pulled away from the flying policewoman, she got to her feet, hauling her friend up despite the catgirl’s confusion. The changeling rushed for cover, leaping over a hedge as the orbs surrounded the employee.

And then they exploded. Danmaku shot out in all directions, tearing holes through the topiary bushes and chipping the stonework. When the bullets stopped whizzing, the two girls slowly peaked their heads over the hedge - to see that the area in their direction had largely been spared.

But that was the sole exception. The rest of the nearby grounds had been torn to shreds - most of the topiary bushes still planted in the ground were missing limbs, and the nearby statues were chipped and cracked. Kokoa herself was crumpled up in a small crater, one of her wings twitching weakly.

Kotohime came down to the ground, hopping off her cloud and rushing over. “Whew, wasn’t sure that’d work here. Hey, you two, are you okay?” Mike was still a bit stunned at all the damage, only giving a distracted nod.

Marisa was marginally more composed - at least enough for something coherent to bubble to the surface. She cleared her throat, turning to the police officer slowly. “Hey, you’re- you’re Little_Bunny, right?”

The older woman chuckled. “Good guess. And judging by the ears on this young miss, you’re Calicoin - and you’re obviously MysterySpark. Are you both well, little ones?”

Mike hurriedly pulled her hood up, belatedly realising that the damage was already done. Marisa bristled a bit. “Hey, I’m not that little!”

“If they’re making protests like that, they’re probably fine,” a new voice sounded, regal and foreign. “But I wish we could say the same for the garden. The Scarlet Matriarch set it out herself, after all.”

The trio turned, Kotohime stepping out in front of the young girls. There were two new arrivals - an even taller redhead with a long ponytail and similar youkai traits to Kokoa, and an older european woman with silvery-blue hair wearing expensive clothes. The latter was gazing out at the destruction with an inscrutable expression, even as her accompaniment bowed.

Kotohime blinked. “Huh? A clone?”

The other redhead chuckled, speaking with a loose and casual tone. “No, no. We’re sisters - two of four, in fact. But before I get distracted…” She bowed deeply. “We can only apologise for the inconvenience.”

“Eh?” Mike managed to regather herself a bit, looking back at the damage. “But the garden’s ruined…”

The older woman spoke, slowly. “It will be alright. We have the means to make this little scene disappear for a time… at least long enough to start a whole garden makeover. Minnie, you can make the call later, yes?”

“I’ll have a veil over the grounds tonight, milady. Already got just the right person in mind. Though… if we have it rebuilt while the Mansion’s still getting settled, Lady Remilia won’t be able to offer her input this time… so it may end up being a touch less distinct.” The second imp’s comment had the diplomatic tones of someone who was carefully masking their thoughts on whether such a ‘distinct touch’ was a benefit or not. “For now, though… it’s time to explain some matters. Miss Kotohime… would you and your entourage care to join us for a spot of tea?”

The changeling scowled. “What, now you want to talk? How do we know you’re not gonna just try to throw us out again?”

“Because the powers you demonstrated knowledge of proves that a fool’s errand.” The european woman turned, walking back towards the talent agency’s building. “We have no need to keep it secret from young youkai and proven magicians.”

“Huh?” Mike tilted her head. “I don’t get it.”

A dirty hand clapped down on the maneki-neko’s shoulder, causing her to yelp and pull away. Kokoa swayed unsteadily on her feet, nearly falling over before her sister rushed over to offer support .

“What the lady means… is that I got my ass beat for no bloody reason.” The imp’s eye appeared to be twitching. “If you wanted in to a building of supernatural people, Kusohime… you should have just used your powers in the first damn place.”

Zanmu stepped out of the Scarlet Talent Agency, double-checking to make sure her illusion was back up. The sun seemed to have set completely, with street lamps now providing the only illumination across the terrace. It gave the various tacky statues a bit more of a sinister look; their open siege of good japanese decor now reimagined as a clandestine infiltration - at least, if you ignored the gaudy vampiress in the middle of the garden.

She took a moment to readjust the folder under her arm, before turning to her escort. “I gotta say - Medi, was it? - that file-finding trick of yours is really handy. Got me everything I needed real quick.”

The oni patted the folder a couple of times before continuing. “And that machine, the one that made a copy of all the documents - I have to get one of those for my office. Do they make them in ones that’ll work without scientific electricity? Or maybe I can ask that animal realm craftswoman…”

The twin-tailed redhead didn’t offer much in the way of response, staring down at the ground. Zanmu turned to face her more fully, noting the dull eyes and slumped expression, and sighed. Some people perked up faster than others, but the first hit of nothingness tended to be the worst.

“Look, I was being serious. There’s a kid who I’m sure this information will help out in one way or another, and, ah-” She paused, fishing in her jacket to pull out a small card. “If your agency wants to discuss my actions later, you can find me here. But some days I just can’t take no for an answer, y’know?”

The imp looked up at her, slowly, as Zanmu slipped the card into her chest pocket. “So, for now… just get yourself inside, get some sugar or chocolate in ya, and you’ll be back up and at ‘em in no time. I promise, no long term damage.”

Medi’s expression remained bleak, but she turned around and shuffled off back within the building. Zanmu shrugged, letting her leave without further comment.

Instead, her eye was drawn to the smoke rising from the west side of the building. Well, she’d expected that those kids would get into some form of trouble. They were unlikely to get more than a slap on the wrist tonight, but it might be worth it to check if there were any monetary debts to be settled later - she could probably cover it, after all, and it never hurt to get a few favors to trade in.

But that could wait - at least until she’d had a chance to look at the files she now had. Trust the STA to keep a registrar of these sorts of things. She hummed, strolling out into the street - and nearly bumped into a large man.

“Ooop- sorry, mate, ‘scuse me.” Zanmu looked up - and up - and up, eventually realising she was looking at one of Marisa’s pursuers. The fat man - Daigo, right?

Judging by the larger man’s expression, he recognised her too. “...You. You were the one the boss followed at the market.”

“Mmmm? Oh, you mean Miss Mamizou? Yeah, she got one of those Seeds off me. Just wanted to follow up on her card, y’know.” The oni patted the folder she was holding. “Call it professional curiosity.”

Daigo glared at Zanmu, scowling. “...Marisa. Is she here?”

The short woman shrugged. “The girl you’re looking for? Couldn’t say. There’s been some sort of big commotion, though. If she was here, she was probably part of it.”

The larger man stared at her, unconvinced. Zanmu took the moment to examine him more thoroughly. He did have a doughy constitution - the old phrase about skinny cooks presumably applied to confectioners, too - but as she looked closer, she saw the scars of more than a few fistfights on the man’s knuckles. How tough was he, anyway?

At length, the confectioner cleared his throat. “If there’s anything you know about her whereabouts, I must request you share it. I am more than willing to pay for the information.”

“Are ya? Well, ain’t that interesting.” Zanmu shrugged. There was one way to find out how tough he was… and if Marisa was still around, throwing any pursuer off her trail was probably for the best. “Sadly, I’m in no need for cash right now, so I’ll have to turn down your offer.” She began to walk around the mountain of a man.

She saw his eyes narrow, out of the corner of her eye. “You know something?”

“I’m sure you lot know more than I do. I only learnt about that changeling girl this afternoon.” The former monk waited, watching the ‘slip’ sink in.

The large man’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you-”

“Well, you have a nice night!” She said no more, strolling off casually. The oni turned down the first dark alley she saw, making sure it was clear of any human witnesses.

It wasn’t long before a shadow fell over what light filtered in from the street. Zanmu kept walking, whistling a tune as a heavier set of steps followed her.

“Young Lady.” Daigo’s voice was a deep rumble. “When did you learn that Marisa was a changeling? You must tell me.”

Young lady? The ruler of hell scoffed under her breath, turning her head back with a raised eyebrow. “Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do if I don’t?”

The man focused. Smoke started to billow around him, obscuring his form - but Zanmu could see his silhouette growing taller and taller, his hair becoming a bushy mane. A tree-trunk of an arm clad in leathery blue skin braced itself against the wall, and as the smoke dispersed, two horns could be seen protruding from his head.

A textbook-perfect blue oni. He glared down at Zanmu, rumbling. “Then I will beat the answers out of you. By any means necessary.”

The former monk hummed, readjusting the folder under her arm. “So… you’re playing an oni, are you…?”

She looked up at the giant, grinning as she raised her arm. “Oh, this should be fun.”

---

The rumble that rippled through the fancy conference room only really phased one person within it. Earthquakes weren’t that unusual in Japan, after all, and that one had barely been enough to notice. Marisa and Mike were reacting far more to the fact there were meeting rooms that had miniature fridges built into them.

The only reason Marisa even really consciously noted it was the reaction of the blue-haired woman, who’d done more to knock over things than the earthquake did. Minnie offered a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and a cup of tea in the other. “Nothing to be alarmed about, Lady Scarlet. Minor quakes are quite common in Japan, after all.”

“Yes, quite.” Lady Scarlet quickly recomposed herself, still bringing the tea to her lips with a slightly-shaking hand. Marisa was glad that ‘Lady Scarlet’ was an acceptable epithet - the woman had described herself by rattling off a rambling string of names and titles that the islander had frankly zoned out in the middle of, only really retaining that she was ‘of the House of Scarlet’.

“So… Lady Scarlet.” Mike apparently remembered no more than Marisa when it came to the woman’s name. “Are you the Scarlet this business is named after?”

“Heavens, no.” Lady Scarlet shook her head. “That would be the Scarlet Matriarch. Tragically, the Scarlet Blood lies dormant within my branch of the family.”

Kotohime raised an eyebrow, trying to speak with a mouthful of cookie. “Ifn’t all blood-”

“There are only two true vampires alive in the house of Scarlet - both of whom have no children of their own.” Kokoa was wearing a few bandages, trudging about with open exhaustion - but still had enough energy to cut off Kotohime, it seemed. “The Lady Scarlet before you now is descended from one of the matriarch’s cousins - and like most of the house, she is a human in all measurable aspects.”

“I have a few members of my extended family that display some powers of the blood… though my personal branch hasn’t been blessed with any such traits for three generations.” Despite the somewhat ashamed tone Lady Scarlet took, she quickly regathered herself with a twinkle in her eyes. “But! The Scarlet Matriarch herself predicted some eleven years ago that the next true vampire in the family would be half-japanese by heritage… and as it turns out, I am one of the very few bachelorette Scarlets working in Japan!”

As the older noblewoman sipped at her tea triumphantly, the glance between the two imps spoke volumes Marisa could only guess at. The changeling coughed, awkwardly. “Can the Matriarch predict the future?”

“It would be more accurate to say she has a grip on the reins of fate itself - not that we’re allowed to discuss it that openly.” Minnie was plating up a small tray of biscuits as she talked. “Suffice it to say, the Scarlet Family is an infamous menace on the stock exchange.”

Mike nodded. “I’d always wondered about how the Scarlets accrued their wealth.” She turned to her friend’s surprised expression. “They have dominant shares in, or are even the original founders of all sorts of businesses around the world. The Nightless Castle hotel chain, Seven Elements Books, the Scarlet Cross…”

“But with that said… allow me to welcome you three, once again, to the Scarlet Talent Agency.” Lady Scarlet gave them a warm smile. “Home to the supernatural… and the naturally superb.”

Minnie brought over a tray of glasses, all three filled with an exotic fruit juice. The three interlopers-turned guests gladly took them. “We’re a premier recruitment firm, who employ youkai and other supernatural beings to work for jobs where being the best humanly possible simply isn’t good enough. It’s all legal, of course - it’s just that the agreements and laws that manage it naturally need to be kept from the public eye.”

“Why is that, though?” Marisa straightened up, putting a cookie she had down next to her glass. “Why can’t you just be public about magic and stuff?” When the imps looked at her, she coughed awkwardly. “Uh, I’m… kinda new to all this.”

The taller of the two sisters gave a gentle smile. “Ah, I see. Once upon a time, we could do that, but…” She sighed. “These days, it’s simply no longer possible.”

“Youkai are spiritual beings, born from humans trying to rationalise forces they can’t comprehend.” Kokoa reached into the minifridge, pulling out an ice pack and wincing as she pressed it to a bruise on her head. “If we’re out of the spotlight completely, we fade from existence. If we step too directly into it, though, we get ‘explained’... and at best, we lose who we are. At worst… terrible things can happen.”

The catgirl let out a hum. “So that’s why you just watch the forums,” Mike mused, “rather than directly try to disprove the humans. If you have the only places discussing it be true believers…”

“Then we can walk that line, well enough at least.” Minnie nodded, turning to Kotohime. “Though it does mean we have to fend off the occasional… investigative spirit.”

Kotohime tried to respond, but it was impossible through the three cookies she’d stuffed into her mouth at once. The sight of her trying to swallow them seemed to set Kokoa off. “Yeah, about that. Why didn’t you ever use your abilities?! I must have kicked you out on your ass twenty times now - and you didn’t use those clouds or bombs even once!”

The imp’s yelling seemed to agitate her own headache, and she pulled herself back a bit. “I’d understand if it was to avoid magical sensors - did that bloody well, in fact - but you constantly spoiled your own arrivals and ruined your chances anyway? And now you went out and bought a grappling hook - why would you get a grappling hook when you can just fly?”

The police officer swallowed down the solid mass of cookie, and then followed up with a gulp from her juice. “Look, when I realised you could just go out and buy one… I couldn’t just not do it, right?” The two kids nodded emphatically. “Heck, if that didn’t work I was planning to bring smoke bombs next time. ‘s what disposable income is for, after all.”

This statement seemed to render Kokoa briefly speechless, sputtering with rage. Before she blew up completely, Minnie stepped in with a hand on her shoulder. “We should thank these two kids, really. We were trapped in a bit of stalemate for a while there - but with everything being on the level now, there should be no more need to come pry Kotohime off the building every couple of weeks.”

The shorter sister deflated, slightly, with that realisation. “I… suppose you’re right.” She gave the young mystery hunters a conciliatory look. “As much as I’ll be healing for a while, at least I’ll never have to deal with her again. So thank you… what were your names again?”

Marisa jumped in before Mike could say anything. “Satsuki Rin, and she’s Goutokuji Tokiko.” There was a raised eyebrow from Kotohime, but nothing more. “And actually, we’re looking for a way to get into Gensokyo right now.”

“Is that right…?” Kokoa paused, before nodding. “Well, the Scarlet Matriarch actually made her way to Gensokyo just recently. We’re hoping to get deliveries set up back and forth - perhaps we could bring you along on one of those chains?”

Minnie smiled. “That's a good idea! Though, it would take a couple of weeks to get everything sorted… if that’s not too long for you?”

Mike grinned. “Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll get to meet the Scarlet Matriarch! There’s all sorts of stories about her business acumen, after all!”

Marisa gave a small chuckle. “Well, it’s our best offer yet, so we won’t turn it down, of course.” The changeling took a deep draught of her own glass, clonking it down. “But we’ll keep looking for our own ways in while we wait. Got a few more legends to check out yet.”

“Just remember not to go blabbing to anyone you don’t know has powers yet, hmm?” The older imp stretched. “I’ll pop down to Medi and see what we can arrange, okay? Kokoa, you just take it easy for a bit.”

The younger of the two nodded, letting her sister depart. “Does anyone else need anything? …No? Then I’ll just sit down for a moment…” Kokoa pulled a large chair up. Slowly, and painfully wincing as she edged herself down into it. Slowly, she leant back, sighing in exhaustion.

Lady Scarlet looked at the two kids, thoughtfully. “You know… if things work out, it’s quite possible the Matriarch would be interested in two young, bright bundles of potential. Would you consent to our aptitude test?”

The catgirl sprung up - and so did Kokoa’s face, her glare utterly full of venom for her boss. “Ooooh,” Mike cooed, “can we?!”

“We didn’t hire Kokoa for her magic’s offensive potential, after all.” The woman in question got up agonisingly slowly as the noblewoman kept talking. “By observing your shadows, she can get a sense for your latent abilities and potential.”

Mike’s ears were twitching in excitement. “That sounds so cool! I’m in!” She turned to her friend. “Ma- Rin, you wanna try it out too?”

[ ] “Sure, why not?” Maybe this’d be a way to get past her natural unknown-ness? And hey, maybe they’d even have an idea for a job she could use her powers for in the future.
[ ] “Ahhh… maybe not.” Mike might be wrapped up in star power, but they were literally vampire aristocrats, and the trio had just ruined their whole lawn. Perhaps it’d be better to keep her secrets in her back pocket.

[20] “Sure, why not?” Maybe this’d be a way to get past her natural unknown-ness? And hey, maybe they’d even have an idea for a job she could use her powers for in the future.
[11] “Ahhh… maybe not.” Mike might be wrapped up in star power, but they were literally vampire aristocrats, and the trio had just ruined their whole lawn. Perhaps it’d be better to keep her secrets in her back pocket.

“Sure, why not?” Marisa got up, stretching. “I’ve actually got some puzzling things about my powers I haven’t figured out yet, myself.” She turned, giving the imp an apologetic look. “And, well, you’re up already…”

“Yeah, yeah, s’fine. I ain’t mad at you two kids or anything.” She paused, muttering something under her breath. “Just hope you won’t be… we’ll do this properly, shall we?”

---

‘Doing it properly’, it seemed, involved conducting this like actual interviews - including private sessions for each of them. That meant Mike was the first to have her interview conducted, while Marisa waited in some sort of break room. Even the policewoman had joined them to supervise the shadow magic, under strict orders that she was quiet and didn’t disturb the interview. All of which left the changeling on her lonesome with no more than a tray of english biscuits to occupy her.

Well, biscuits and her virtual pet companions. The islander hummed, idly fiddling with the tamagotchi in her hand. The screen had another big crack on it now - probably from when she used it as a makeshift ball and chain. How did those shadow powers work, anyway?

Was it the spotlight that was the source of it? She personally doubted it - it hadn’t felt like anything special, and besides, Lady Scarlet said that the ability was from Kokoa. Maybe the imp enchanted the light source first, and that meant that anyone whose shadow went on it could move independently.

But what was empowering them to move? What determined a silhouette’s actions and behaviour? Outside, it seemed like the shadow’s shape was what determined it’s nature - but if it was useful for interviews, it was clearly part of them… right? …Then when she stepped up to the plate, what would she see?

…She sighed, rubbing her forehead to try and clear it. Every time she tried to distract herself, her thoughts would wind up back in the same place. Something about this whole process was rubbing her the wrong way. She wasn’t sure what, yet, but she’d felt her hackles on end from the moment she’d agreed to the interview.

Maybe it was just some instinctual thing? All she knew about her youkai self was that most people didn’t know what she was, and that she had an ability to make things unidentifiable. Maybe this whole trying to figure out what she was going against her true nature? But how was she supposed to find out what she was if that was the case?

Or maybe she was just getting pre-interview jitters - she’d never done anything like this, after all. The changeling all but leapt up when the door opened, and Mike skipped out. She did her best to look casual, raising a hand for a high-five. “All went well, I see?”

The catgirl beamed, slapping Marisa’s hand full force. “It went great! Miss Kokoa’s actually way nicer than I thought she’d be!”

Kotohime let out a huge breath as she stepped out of the room. “Whew! Man, it’s so hard to just listen in on a conversation and not chip in, y’know?”

“We’re all aware how quiet you can and can’t be. And please don’t stand in the doorway.” Kokoa pushed past the police officer, allowing Lady Scarlet to step into the room proper. The imp looked around, a troubled look on her face. “Has Minnie come back up, by the way?”

“Haven’t seen her.” Marisa shrugged. Kokoa pulled a page from the black notebook she was carrying, hesitating to pass it to her boss as the islander continued. “And I never saw anybody else, for that matter.”

“This is normally somewhat of a break period, after all.” Lady Scarlet turned, before taking the note out of Kokoa’s hand. “The night shift proper will begin shortly. I do wonder where those two are…”

Kokoa turned back to Marisa. “Before we go over Tokiko’s interview, maybe we should cover Rin first?” She offered a small smile.

Marisa paused, getting up awkwardly. “Uh, right…” With a reassuring pat on the back from Mike, she started walking to the interview room. Maybe this time, I’ll finally be able to get some answers…

“So, you said you had some questions you needed answered?” The imp asked. “Anything in particular you want to know?”

“Yeah, my species for starters.” The islander let out an awkward chuckle. “I… don’t know what kind of youkai I am. I’m… not too interested in getting an interview interview, y’know?”

The noblewoman sighed. “Then shall I excuse myself? If she’s not going to be applying, this is only for her own self-satisfaction.”

The imp bit her lip, as she looked at her boss. “Then… can I ask if you could check on my sisters? I’m getting a bit worried.” Lady Scarlet hummed in agreement, turning to head down the halls towards the reception area. Kokoa let out a sigh of relief, before turning to Marisa. “You don’t even know your own species? Is it like an infection-type, like werewolves?”

Marisa shook her head. “I don’t think so - it’s complicated.” She paused, expanding her wings. “All I really know is that I’ve got these tentacles, and I can create these things called ‘Seeds of Unknown Form’. They have the power to make things unidentifiable - it was how we pulled the Holy Light trick off.”

“So that was how, huh?” The shadow-mage took a moment to examine Marisa’s wings. “It was an interesting trick, but it didn’t have any real bite behind it. Next time, make sure to use that time productively, hmmm?”

The changeling chuckled. “Yeah. Next time, I’ll either do that, or I’ll make it a real laser.”

“Red and blue tentacles…” Kotohime reached out for one of the red tentacles, humming in thought. Marisa twitched a bit, before stowing them in the back of her jacket again. “Ah, do either of you mind if I watch this one as well?”

Kokoa sighed. “Well, you did manage to behave yourself last time. And I’d rather keep my eyes on you while you’re in here… Rin, if you’re good with it?” The changeling offered a small nod. “Then let’s get to it.”

“Good luck, Ma-Rin!” Mike gave a big grin, having plonked herself down to have a couple of celebratory cookies. “Let me know how it goes!”

Marisa waved back to her friend, as she stepped into the dimly-lit room. Kokoa stepped in with a professional air, towards a lamp on the central table. She took a moment to turn it on and fiddle with it to create a spotlight on the back wall, before stepping back so her shadow was fully visible upon it.

“Okay, we good?” She turned around, getting a thumbs-up from her shadow, and stepped away from the silhouette back into the darkness proper. Marisa could make out the imp moving to stand beside her boss, setting up another small lamp. “Alright, Rin, let’s see what you got. Can face the wall or the light, but most people like to watch the shadows, for obvious reasons. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, just say so, and I’ll stop.”

As the changeling stepped into the light, she felt anxiety start to creep up on her. Her silhouette seemed outright jittery, leaning away from Shadow-Kokoa’s approach - and when the imp’s silhouette tried to reach out, Marisa’s stepped back entirely.

“Feeling nervous, Rin?” Kokoa’s voice sounded from behind the islander, though Marisa’s eyes were locked on the two shadows. She could feel the tentacles on her back twitching. “There’s nothing to worry about, I promise.”

Marisa felt her throat clench as her counterpart backed up against the wall. She wanted to step away, but she grit her teeth, forcing herself to stay in place. Kokoa’s silhouette paused, reaching out, slowly - and then black mist burst forth from the entrapped shadow, causing the real Kokoa to cough.

“Eeeeeugh…” The imp retched as she doubled over. “Wh-what is this stuff?”

“Uh, Rin, what did you have to eat this morning?” Kotohime’s voice was filled with second-hand embarrassment. “Cos, uh… wow. Look, stuff like this happens to everyone-”

“I-I-it’s not that sort of thing!” The changeling stepped back. “I-I’ve never made a fog out of it!”

“It’s probably an instinctive defense, then- urp, alright, I can handle that.” The wings of Kokoa’s shadow flared out, before flapping hard, dispersing the fog. It seemed to leave the fog-creator on the back foot, looking around frantically as she was once again revealed.

Then, the shadow changed shape, to some kind of four-legged creature. It’s long tail curled over its head like a scorpion, and the hackles were raised like a wild animal - but the face didn’t have a muzzle like Marisa expected, instead being mostly flat. The beast hissed at Kokoa’s shadow, as the latter brought its wings down.

“It’s shapeshifting now?!” The real Kokoa was openly baffled. “I’ve never seen - what in heaven is happening?”

Kotohime hissed under her breath. “Deep breaths, Rin. If you’re not comfortable about this, just say so and she’ll stop.”

“No, I - I need to know.” The changeling grit her teeth, growling under her breath. “Stay down, damn it…”

Kokoa’s shadow knelt down, reaching out for the bestial silhouette. Her hand got closer, and closer… before the beast’s tail lashed, latching on to the imp’s hand.

Red lights went off in the darkness as Kokoa swore again. “It bit me! W-with it’s tail?! You better not be controlling this!”

“I-I don’t know how to!” Marisa turned around, flailing frantically. “H-how do I stop it?!”

The imp’s shadow threw her arm around, trying to shake off the beast’s tail. The real changeling found herself thrown around with the motions, culminating in both her real and shadow selves getting thrown into the wall. Marisa coughed, pushing off the wall and trying to get her bearings, as her counterpart returned to a human stance.

She heard someone rushing over to her - Kotohime, judging by her voice. “Rin, are you-”

And then the tentacles burst out from both of their backs. Marisa felt them whirling and flailing around her, clawing at everything they could reach, and driving off the police officer who’d been reaching out for her. Her shadow self stepped forward, approaching Kokoa’s silhouette while surrounded by a cloud of spikes and blades.

“Stop…” She gasped for breath, trying to get back to her feet. “S-stop, please…”

“Alright, I’m cutting the lightshow here!” Kokoa got up, rushing to the lamp - but as she did, two of the arrow-like tentacles of Marisa’s shadow surged forward, grappling the arm of the imp’s silhouette. The Scarlet employee’s whole body was twisted upright, her hand thrust into the sky, unable to reach the lamp. Marisa felt Kokoa’s skin through the tentacles of her back - and the cries of pain told her the tentacles were trying to break her bones. Just like this morning.

“Stop, stop, stop, stop…!” Marisa staggered upright, trying to get to the silhouette. Her head was still spinning, but her blood was running cold. “Don’t do this, please…!”

“Kusohime!” Kokoa gasped, trying to pull her hand free. “Get over here and help me!” The police officer rushed for the lamp alongside the imp, stepping into the light in the process. But this would prove to be a mistake - as Kotohime’s counterpart rushed for the duo, the remaining arrow swung for the woman’s legs. Both versions of the policewoman hit the ground hard, groaning and trying to get to her feet, only to find them tied together.

The three scythe-like tentacles on the silhouette Marisa scrapped along Kokoa’s shadow arm, seeming to search for the perfect point to strike. Once they found their marks, they reared back, and-

The real Marisa’s fist slammed into the wall, in between the two shadows. “STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!” Her counterpart reeled back, shocked, and the room’s chaos fell silent.

“What the hell is your problem?!” The islander roared at her other self. “You think this crap is okay?! That you can just attack whoever you want? Why do you keep trying to tear out people’s arteries?!

The silhouette pulled back, releasing it’s two prisoners - but Marisa only faintly registered it. “She’s not trying to hurt us, she’s trying to help me understand what the fuck I’ve turned into! But you just - you just attack people! I’m getting chased, and I have no idea why - but every time I try to get some understanding, you just ruin it for me!”

The shadow was trembling, sliding down to its knees in the corner as Marisa pounded the wall again. “My life is burning down around me- and whenever I try to find out why, you get! In! The! Way! Why can’t I find out what the hell I even am?!” Her voice was getting hoarse, and her vision was starting to blur. “Do you think you’re helping me by doing this? It’s your fault! It’s your fault everything’s going wrong for me! It’s your fault I have to run across the country being chased by - chased by whatever those things are! It’s your fault, it’s your fault, IT’S YOUR FAULT!”

The room fell silent, save for the sound of Marisa’s ragged sobs. The shadow trembled in front of her, rendered an almost indistinct blob folded up on itself.

She heard someone stepping up behind her, quietly. “Rin…” Kotohime’s voice was tinged with deep concern.

“Stop.” The policewoman hesitated, as Marisa took a deep breath. “Just… wait. Please.” She forced her tentacles to slacken and hang loose, calming herself by increments. “I won’t hurt anyone else. Not again.”

“Rin…” Kotohime paused. “Were you the one who got in a fight this morning? Not far from a train station?”

The young youkai sagged. “I-I swear, I didn’t - I didn’t mean to hurt him. I didn’t mean to use these things at all…”

Kotohime’s hand rested on her shoulder. “I don’t know if this will help, but… let me put it this way. That guy was a local politician’s brat, with a history of being a scumbag. We couldn’t keep him behind bars no matter how hard we tried. But when I heard one of the biggest a- buttholes in the city rushed into a local hospital raving about a tentacle monster, we were all glad someone was able to give him a good ass-kicking.”

The police officer managed a small, awkward chuckle, as the changeling looked up to her. “The girl he was attacking had her family report about the attack too, so officially we’re on the lookout - but considering the bastard’s claiming he won’t feel safe outside until the monster’s caught, nobody’s really in a rush to catch the ‘alien vigilante’. He’ll be serving his long-overdue time in da cell - and the girl he was going after is safe, I promise.”

Marisa gave a humourless chuckle. “Lucky me. Last time I went berserk, it all worked out?” She sighed, turning back to the balled-up shadow on the wall. “Well this time, I nearly ripped off the arm of someone just trying to help me.” She balled her hand up into a fist. “I won’t let that happen. Never again.”

Instinct has moved to -3.

“Rin?” Kokoa sat up, slowly. The changeling turned to the imp, starting to apologise - but when she looked, the imp’s eyes were locked on the wall, at something behind Marisa.

And, because of that shift…

“If the thing in the corner is your shadow… then whose is that?”

…something else has stirred.

Marisa paused, staring at her shadow. And not the little silhouette in the fetal position in front of her - the one whose hand lined up with hers.

Slowly, she followed the arm up to the full body. It was a bit taller than her, with a large, triangular head - or maybe it was a hat? Yeah, a hat, and she had a skirt on too. “A witch?” She half-murmured.

The shadow tipped her hat, and Marisa could swear that she saw her grinning. The changeling stepped back, allowing the shadowy witch to kneel down by her own silhouette. Slowly, the taller figure gently ruffled the shadows’ hair - with the islander feeling both the touch of a gentle hand on her hair, and the rustle of hair around her hand.

The witch took the younger silhouette’s hand, pulling her to her feet. Shadow Kokoa and Kotohime started to approach the duo, but the intruder just put her hand out, stopping them both.

“Who are you?” Kokoa asked. The mysterious shadow paused, before offering her hand to the imp’s silhouette. But when Kokoa moved to take it, her hand went straight through the shadow’s hand, briefly dispersing it into mist. The witch stared at it for a moment, visibly sagging slightly.

“Well, she’s more cooperative than the other one. At least she’s not trying to rip someone’s arm- ow!” Marisa flinched as the witch’s shadow flicked her head, using her doppelganger as a medium. “Hey, keep in mind if you’re flicking her, you’re flicking- OW!”

“I think she’s trying to get you to stop, Rin.” Kokoa stepped forward, as the witch nodded firmly. “This, uh… it’s not exactly healthy, y’know.”

Marisa started to grit her teeth, but the imp folded her arms. “Be honest with me; were you uncomfortable in the leadup to all this? Because your shadow will just run on your gut feelings. It wouldn’t have responded if you didn’t feel threatened.”

The changeling couldn’t meet her gaze, causing the imp to sigh. “There’s times to resist your instincts, don’t get me wrong. But every instinct is there for a reason. For all I know, if your reactions are that bad? Being ‘known’ could really weaken you, or even cripple you entirely. Considering you and Mi- Miss Tokiko are a long way from your homes… can you really afford that?”

…The islander balled her hands into fists, but she couldn’t deny Kokoa’s words. And looking at her shadowy counterpart… the other Marisa was still trembling, huddled behind the newest arrival. She didn’t look fierce, or dangerous. She just looked scared.

“I just… I want to know, damn it.” The changeling admitted, defeated. “I-I can’t just, I can’t just hope to fumble along and expect it to all work out. But… how am I supposed to find out what I am without getting someone else to identify me?”

She felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to follow it - only to realise it was actually her shadow who had been touched. The witch’s silhouette tapped Marisa’s head, gently but insistently. “What, are you saying I should just know? That it’s something I just forgot?”

The silhouette nodded fiercely, causing Marisa to scowl. “How would you know - and who are you, anyway?” She scowled. “Where did you come from?”

The witch took a moment to think, before grabbing Marisa’s shadow next to her. She pointed off to one side, while pushing the smaller silhouette in the same direction. Kokoa raised an eyebrow. “She’s moving you somewhere?”

“Oooh, I’m pretty good at charades…” Kotohime hummed, leaning in. “Guiding her, maybe?”

The changeling took a moment to think, before it hit her. “You’re the one who told me to go to Gensokyo?” The witch pumped her fist, releasing Marisa’s shadow from being puppeted by her. “Why? Will it help me find out who I am?” …the witch gave another firm nod, though only after a moment’s hesitation.

Kokoa folded her arms. “Well, that’s reassuring. Look, I’m assuming you can’t answer anything too directly… but you’re ultimately taking Rin there for your own ends, right? Why do you want to get to Gensokyo?”

The witch took a moment to pat around herself, seeming to look for something. She even took off her hat to rummage around in it, devolving into desperate shakes in hopes of rustling something loose. Marisa couldn’t help but notice that the shadow’s hair style was a close match to hers as well… that couldn’t be a coincidence, right?

After a moment, the silhouette turned to her young host, holding out her hand. “Um- oh, you need something?” Marisa took a moment to fish through her pockets, pulling out her cracked v-pet. “Uh, all I got on me is stuff like this. The screen’s cracked, but-”

The witch grabbed it out of her hand, causing the object to lift into the air and rotate as she looked it over. Seemingly satisfied with the proffered object, the witch began to mould its shadow, causing the real object to groan in complaint - before Kokoa snapped her fingers, and the silhouette and real object separated.

The islander hastily grabbed the virtual pet before it hit the floor, but the damage was done - the screen was now one big blot. She sighed, confirming with a few button-presses that the toy was still working - but now she’d have to be doing it blind. She sagged, ultimately pocketing the v-pet and going back to observing the shadow.

…And the moment she did, she saw what the shadow was making - and her heart stopped. It was an octagonal shape, with eight trios of lines in a ring around its centre. Wait, not just trios of lines - trigrams! Marisa had two of them on her cap! It was big enough to fit into the witch’s palm, and as she turned it upright, the young girl just knew - knew - that she’d seen it before.

“That-that! What is that?!” Marisa jammed her finger at the shadow, turning her eyes back to them. “With the trigrams on it! I know I’ve seen it before!”

The silhouette witch gave a silent chuckle, twirling the octagonal whatever-it-was on one of her fingers. “I assume it’s… some sort of magic focus. It must be her tool of choice,” Kokoa mused. That earned a silent chuckle from the shadow, and the device began to pulsate - dispensing the shadows of five small flames. The mysterious woman started pointing between herself and one of the flames, before tracing a large circle around them.

Kotohime hummed. “So, you’re part of a group of five?” A nod, and with another pulse, the flames flew off in all directions. One of them floated over to Marisa’s shadow, hovering over the changeling. “And you all were scattered…and you ended up with Rin?” The police officer’s face focused. “Wait… does that mean…” She fell into murmuring, taking a glance at the islander as she thought.

The witch’s shadow started to release smoke, causing Kokoa to straighten up. “Ah-looks like time’s running out. Not surprising, really. If she’s been possessing you, but barely able to communicate, even this much has probably taken all she has to spare.”

“Wait, wait!” Marisa ran up to the wall, where the witch was staring at her hands. “I still don’t know anything! How did you even show up here?! If I lost my memories about all this… how can I hope to remember?!”

The shadow paused, looking at the young girl beside her… and Marisa would swear she saw a cocky grin forming on the shadow’s face. She took off her slowly-dissipating hat, dropping it on the kid’s head.

Then, she stepped behind the younger girl’s shadow, placing her magic focus within the silhouette’s hands. Marisa felt the shape of the octagonal tool in her between her fingers, before she was abruptly jerked into a firing position by the witch. A position she knew she remembered, from somewhere…

Magic began to crackle around her fingertips. The shadow of the octagonal object began to rattle, building up magic for an attack. The adults were yelling for Marisa to stop, but she could barely even register it.

The shadow witch dissipated into smoke, vanishing from sight, but the young youkai could still feel her - touching just on the edges of her memory. Yellow crystals danced at the edges of her vision, as she held the phantasmal object at the ready. Marisa focused, grinning, as a ball of light formed in her hand.

[L○ve S╳gn: △△ast▢r Spa-]

There was a flash as the lamp’s bulb blew, causing the shadows to vanish. Marisa flinched, releasing her grip - before realising her mistake.

The ball of magic pulsed and fizzed, changing colours from a glowing white to a sputtering red. The changeling stepped back, nervously, before she felt something hook itself in the holes of her tentacles. Marisa was yanked off her feet, slamming into Kotohime as the police officer kicked up a table and pulled the trio behind it.

Stars and sparks flew at random around the room, bouncing off the walls and scorching the carpet. Wherever they struck, they burst into dust. Marisa screwed her eyes shut, waiting for the din to die down… and slowly, the blazing light show faded.

Kokoa was on her feet first, muttering under her breath. “Bloody… next time, Marisa, don’t just start doing an attack because a shadow makes you, alright?” She rubbed some powder off the wall, leaving behind an unblemished streak.. “Hate to think what would’ve happened if that spell went off…”

“...Well, I don’t think this room will need more than a good clean, fortunately.” Kotohime took her own swipe of the wall, licking the powder with her finger. “Hmm, the stardust tastes sweet… and familiar. Wish I knew from where, though.”

“...I almost had it. I almost, almost had it!”

The two adults turned to Marisa as she sprang to her feet. She was still jittery from the explosion, practically bouncing on her feet. “I almost - I know if I managed to get that spell off, I would have remembered something! Maybe even what I am.”

Kokoa gave her a small look. “What, is that some signature ability of your species?”

“No,” Marisa answered instantly, even before she knew what she was saying. “It’s something I - something she uses. That magician girl. It’s her favourite Spell Card.”

“And if you managed to use it… you would be able to make better contact with her.” The imp hummed in thought. “Actually, it almost looked like you were starting to become her… Do you still remember how to do it?”

“Yeah, I think. I’d need something like that whatever-it-was, but I know I can do it!” The islander got to her feet, grinning. “And if I manage to pull it off… I think everything’d start to make sense again.” She paused, looking down at her hands.

“Well, isn’t that something?” Kotohime chuckled, pulling her grappling hook out of the changeling’s tentacles. “Sounds like you’ve made some progress.”

…That was right. That was right! Marisa couldn’t even hide her grin as she thought it over. At long last, she’d managed to grab onto a piece of the puzzle - that Spell Card was the key to everything! And all she needed was a magic focus to cast it with - perhaps she could even get something from Chimata’s markets!

She pumped her fist, sighing in relief. “Kokoa, I know this wasn’t what you intended, but…” She bowed. “Thank you! I wouldn’t even have a lead if it wasn’t for you!”

Kokoa chuckled, smiling. “Well, I’m glad you’ve perked up a bit. If you can pursue it that way, that might be your best bet.” She paused, glancing to the side. “Though, with that said…”

Marisa followed her gaze, taking a moment to look around the room. At the upturned table, burnt-out lantern, and the powder coating every surface it could reach.

She gave a nervous giggle. It wasn’t like she was seeking it in the first place, but... “I’m not getting the job, am I?”

The imp shook her head, giving a lighthearted sigh. “No. No, you are not.”

Marisa trotted out of the room, rubbing a bit of the powder between her fingers before taking a lick. Kotohime was right - it was sweet. It reminded her of the konpeito back home - perhaps it was fitting that star danmaku tasted like star candy.

“Well, you perked up quick.” Kokoa gave the young girl a bemused look. “The breakthrough means that much to you, huh?”

“Yeah! I mean, it’s progress after all!” Marisa gave a cocky grin. “I know exactly what to do next, too! Once we get to the Lunar Rainbow Market, I just gotta save up to get a good magic focus to use!” She paused. “Ah, wait, are the trains still running?”

“Tell you what, Rin.” Kotohime gave her a small smile. “How about I give you two a lift on the way back? If we take the mountain pass, we can even play with the siren - just for a little bit.”

The islander bounced. “Oh man, really? That sounds awesome!”

The policewoman chuckled. “Just a little bit, though. And only when we’re wayyy out there. Don’t wanna disturb people, y’know.”

“Yeah, I bet Tokiko will enjoy it too!” …After a moment, a thought occurred to Marisa. She spun around, looking awkwardly at the imp. “Um… Kokoa. Sorry again about all the mess, and… um. About nearly cutting your arm up.”

“We’ve had worse, believe me.” The Scarlet Employee waved her off. “When you deal with youkai employees, you have more than a few… burnouts. A sugar dusting’s nothing in comparison, and we don’t keep anything important there, anyways.” She wagged her finger. “As for those tentacles of yours… just make sure to remember: instincts exist for a reason. You don’t have to do what they say, but you still have to listen and respond appropriately. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best. Still… I’d hate for it to affect Toki’s chances.” The changeling tapped her fingers together, nervously. “...She’s not gonna miss a job with you because of me, is she?”

Kokoa stiffened, seeming hesitant. But before she could say anything, Kotohime looked up. “...Didn’t you tell her to stay here, by the way?”

Marisa blinked, scanning the room. Now that she mentioned it… “Yeah… where is she? I would’ve thought she’d be better at listening than I am… big ears, and all.”

There was a long pause, before Kotohime’s face fell. “Oh heavens. Don’t tell me- Minnie! Where are you?!”

She took off, calling for her sister, with the outsiders only having the time to share a glance before giving chase. Their search took a sudden turn when they heard Minnie calling back from the floor below - Marisa ended up jumping over the railing to try to rush down the staircase, nearly kicking an ascending Lady Scarlet in the face on her way down. The islander barely had time to quickly yell out an apology before she rounded another corner.

“Minnie! What’s- Medi?!” Kokoa had stopped in front of a break room. As Marisa stuck her head around Kokoa’s side, she could see two of the imp sisters behind a central table - the shorter of whom was slumped over it, giving the changeling a blank and hollow look from her sideways gaze.

The one the trio had been looking for was in a panic. “Kokoa! Oh, thank goodness you’re here! Medi’s under some kind of effect, and Lady Scarlet was in a mood, and-and I couldn’t get a word in edgewise!”

Kokoa blanched. “Do you mean…”

“I-I tried, but I couldn’t get to her in time!” Minnie pointed out the window, to the streets below. “Miss Tokiko - she’s run off!”

[ ] Rush out to track her down, before she gets too far away.
[ ] Ask what happened while they were in Marisa’s interview, first.

[17] Rush out to track her down, before she gets too far away.
[2] Ask what happened while they were in Marisa’s interview, first.

“I’m going after her!” Marisa spun on her heel, ducking under Kotohime’s arm and nearly crashing into Lady Scarlet again. She heard the talent agency’s employees yelling after her, but the police officer was the only one to give direct chase.

She turned to the older woman, as they slammed through the front door. “Do we split up, or go for your car?”

“Neither.” The islander felt her footing give out, only to land on soft, fluffy clouds. “We’re taking to the skies.”

---

Mike slowed to a stop, taking unsteady breaths. She turned back, looking at the lights of the Scarlet Talent Agency.

She felt her tail drag along the ground, limp, before a few drops informed her a drizzle was starting. Some part of her was saying she’d catch a cold, but she just couldn’t muster the effort to actually do something about it. She’d nearly run into a pole once already. Like an idiot.

Mike stepped into the light, radiating nervous excitement. As her eyes took a moment to adjust, she could hear the three observers - Lady Scarlet, Kokoa, and Officer Kotohime - settle into their own seats.

The imp’s shadow gave the catgirl’s equivalent a gentle pet, causing the real one to start to purr. The maneki-neko felt a slight tingling from the ethereal touch, as the shadow master pulled out a small notepad. “Goutokuji Mik- uh, Miss Goutokuji Tokiko, Age 13, Calico Nekomata… Anything in particular you wanna pursue, Tokiko?”

“Well, I’ve always had a good head for economics. I’d really like to be an investor someday - I wanna be the cat behind the cat, y’know?” The young youkai turned her head so the shadow could scritch at her chin. To be the one who helps other people’s ideas come to life, and get their chance in the sun.”

The police woman chuckled. “Rare to hear a kid thinking about that sort of thing. That’s a long-term end goal, usually.”

Mike gave a big grin at that. “Well, the plan was always to start with my own business and go from there. But you gotta think long-term, right? Humans always ask ‘where do you see yourself in five years’... but a youkai’s gotta plan for centuries.”

“Quite the motivated kitten, aren’t you?” Kokoa’s voice had a gentle tone to it. “A lot of the cats we get through here are just fine being pets who help out.”

“Yeah, but I wanna be more. Being someone’s pet isn’t good enough - I don’t wanna be just patronised, you know? I want everyone back at Goutoku-ji to be starstruck by how far I got.” After a few seconds, Mike realised the contradiction, and her other self pulled away from Shadow-Kokoa’s petting.

There was a pause before the imp spoke again, her shadow just taking the catgirl’s hand. “Tell me… why do you want to go to Gensokyo?”

Mike paused for a moment, her ears flicking back. “...Because from what people said back home, Gensokyo’s a place where all sorts of loose bits and forgotten things end up.” She wrung her hands, trying to choose her words carefully. “So I thought that… maybe that’d be a good place to find some people to make friends with. I never really fit in at Goutoku-ji, after all.”

“...I see.” Kokoa’s shadow gave the cat one last ruffle of her hair. “...Alright, I think that’s everything for now. I can see you’re a bright young girl, I’m sure you’ll go far no matter what you try.”

The catgirl gave a big grin, bowing for her audience. She skipped out toward the door, spotting a jittery Marisa outside. Her friend leapt up, turning to the maneki neko-

“MIKE! IS THAT YOU DOWN THERE?!”

The catgirl blinked, suddenly brought back to reality - and her blood ran cold. Her eyes darted back and forth, trying to spot where Marisa’s voice had come from.

“Up here!” Mike craned her neck up, squinting to avoid getting any rain in her face. Among the dim and drizzly clouds, there was a white and fluffy one hanging just above the rooftops - and Marisa was leaning over it, waving.

The catgirl took off, turning to run down a side alley. She heard Marisa yelling behind her, but that only encouraged Mike to break out into a full sprint. She nearly crashed into a standing sign, clumsily throwing it to the side with a clatter as she rushed to… rushed to… where she was going didn’t matter! She just had to get away-

A lump got caught under her foot, causing her to stumble. She hit the ground hard, landing on her hands and knees and yowling as the cement’s rough surface tore away at her. She heard a rattling sound above her, squinting through the pain - the changeling had leapt from the cloud to a drainage pipe, sliding down the side of it. Mike couldn’t make Marisa’s face out in the rain - and she didn’t want to see it in the first place.

She tried to climb to her feet, but a stab of pain shot through her knees - and her hands stung nearly as bad. She barely managed to force herself to stand before Marisa was in front of her, blocking off the path she’d been heading down. She started to turn back, only to see the cloud descending, blocking off the way she came. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She should’ve just tried to play it off, let the changeling come to her, spent the time thinking up how to dodge the conversation.

Instead, she’d rushed off, and screwed up again. When was she going to realise she was just causing trouble for others, running around like an idiot? She should have realised when she went looking for where Lady Scarlet was.

She’d been told to wait, but she just couldn’t resist - she had to know what the Scarlet noblewoman’s thoughts were. The catgirl had managed to find her at a break room downstairs, where Minnie was trying to rouse another of her and Kokoa’s sisters.

She’d waited for a lull in the conversation, heart pounding like an engine in her chest. She’d asked Lady Scarlet what she thought. She’d held her breath as the noble opened the notes Kokoa had given her, and then-

“There is no position for you here.”

Mike blinked, her ears flicking back. Minnie paled, turning to her boss. “Lady Scarlet, she’s just a kid-”

Lady Scarlet rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t change anything. According to Kokoa’s notes, she hasn’t developed the full powers of a maneki-neko. Her malformed variation can only beckon either people or wealth, not both. And despite that… she’s dropped out of Goutoku Temple’s training course? To go gallivanting off hunting mysteries?”

The catgirl flinched. “U-um, you’re not wrong, but, but it’s not that simple…” She couldn’t have stayed in Goutoku-ji. Not after the bleach…

Minnie nodded fiercely. “Y-yeah, maybe she’s not ready for a full position now, but-”

“This is an agency for those who are supernatural and naturally superb.” Lady Scarlet’s glare felt like it was spearing Mike’s soul. “This is not an agency for allowing in stray cats on the off chance that they might become somewhat useful later. There is nothing Tokiko has to offer us… and thus, there’s nothing we have to offer her, either.”

Mike tried to speak, but her throat was hoarse. “I-I- I could, I-”

“Just give it up, kid.” It took her a moment to realise the sister she didn’t know was speaking. “You expect her to care?”

“Medi?! What’s gotten into you?”

The catgirl paled, as the imp gave her a dull-eyed look. “We get dozens of people coming through our doors every week, and that’s just at this office. Why would you ever come in expecting you’d be the one?”

Mike trembled, feeling tears stream down her cheeks. She could vaguely hear Minnie’s voice, getting ever more frantic. “T-tokiko-”

“Do you understand?” Lady Scarlet’s tone was absolutely icy. “We cannot coddle a youkai who cannot perform even the most fundamental of its abilities. If you can grasp that, surely you realise you shouldn’t have wasted my time in the first place.”

The catgirl shuddered. “S-sorry… for being a bother…”

She turned, and ran.

---

Marisa rushed forward, getting close to Mike. “Mike, are you alright?”

The catgirl tried to pull away, but Marisa caught her wrist before she could get out of reach. “Here, lemme-” She pulled her friend’s hoodie up to shield her from the rain, before taking a look at the damage.

The skin on her hands was torn up, with blood leaking through - it was only thanks to the ongoing drizzle that Marisa could see it was only skin-deep. Her knees looked worse, trickling blood all the way down to her socks - and Mike was trying to gingerly move them to a position where they wouldn’t sting just from standing straight. “Ah, jeez… Kotohime! You got a med-kit?”

The police officer nodded, coming to a landing beside the duo. “Yeah, in the car. Come on, hand her to me-”

Mike tried to pull away. “I-it’s fine. It’s not important, just me being stupid-”

“Doesn’t matter why it’s there, kid.” Kotohime got the nekomata to her feet, pulling her hand underneath to pull her into a princess carry. “Point is, it needs to be treated and bandaged up. I didn’t park far from here, anyways.”

The catgirl folded in on herself, holding back sniffles as she was carried off. Marisa started to follow - only to stumble as she tripped over the same thing Mike had.

She spun around to look, trying to squint at it. The lump was vaguely furry, and it was only because the fur was wet and glistening that she could see it was breathing. She knelt down above it, getting a closer look.

A tanuki? And a fat one, too. She was momentarily surprised to find one in a random alley of all places - the fact that they weren’t plastered over half the marketing had led to her forgetting there were other tanuki aside from the ones on Sado. It fixed a bleary eye on her, only half-conscious in the rain.

…This wasn’t the time to get distracted. She lifted the tanuki up as gingerly as she could, placing it on top of the vent of a nearby air conditioner. With the building it was next to still trying to cool down from the summer day, the vent and the awning it was under would keep it dry enough.

With that done, she turned back to follow the police officer and her friend, running to catch up.

[ ] She wanted to talk to Mike about her running away… but what could she even say? (Write-in)
[ ] Then again, perhaps it was better to just be with her, and let her talk when she was ready.