[x] Don't play with her.

Tewi hopped from side to side as she waited for my answer.

"Won't you play with me~"

She had a cheerful smile, like some excited kid. But I knew that this girl was no child. I had better be careful. For some reason, I could almost smell the mischief in the air.

"What do you want the vial for? More importantly, how'd you know about the vial in my pocket?"

The little rabbit girl grinned even wider.

"It isn't that I really need it," she said. "While I have half the mind to give you a bit of good luck anyway, I thought it would be more interesting if you wagered something of value. That vial seems to be a small treasure in itself."

I had no idea what she was talking about, but it seemed that this vial was more important than I first thought.

"A treasure in exchange for a little luck? Doesn't seem too fair to me."

"A little luck? Ahahaha! You're funny, you know that?"

She narrowed her eyes as she smirked.

"Don't you look down on me, human. I could grant a person enough good fortune to make him a great warrior, a famous scholar or even a tyrant king! You could say that I could even weave new threads into the fabric of fate itself..."

I felt a faint, but powerful aura from this girl. Before I realized it, I found myself taking a step back. She chuckled a bit and suddenly winked at me.

"Or I could just be messing with your head," said Tewi. "Either way, I thought you looked like someone who could use a little luck. If you win, I can guarantee that you'll find some happiness this time~"

"And if I lose, you'll take this 'little treasure' of mine?"

"It's a great deal for you if you manage to win~"

I paused for a moment. Some good luck would be useful, but was the risk worth it?

"What kind of game is it?"

"Ahaha! It's going to be great fun, but I won't tell you unless you say that you'll play with me!"

"..."

"So then, are you going to play with cute little Tewi? She might cry if you refuse, you know?"

The little rabbit girl suddenly gave me the cutest teary eyed expression as she stepped closer. Something tugged at my heart. I suddenly had the urge to just grab her and give her a big hug. And I almost did, had I not used up every last bit of willpower and restraint that I had left.

"I.. refuse."

"Eh?"

I couldn't even look her in the eye as I answered. A bit of silence passed. Huh? She didn't seem like the type to give up so easily. I slowly glanced at her. Tewi had turned away and was watching the moon once more. She didn't push the issue any further.

"Umm.. Tewi?"

"It's alright," she whispered. "Who would play with a suspicious girl like me? Of course you wouldn't. It was foolish of me to ask. Yes, it was real silly..."

Her voice was very different this time. Even I could sense the loneliness behind her words. It pained me to even watch her like this. But I stood by my decision.

"Well, I better head back then."

"..."

I turned around and started walking away. And as I left, I had the strangest feeling that I would never see this girl again. Well, if that was true, then I guess it didn't really matter. I had a perfectly logical reason to refuse her 'game', and I had successfully done so. But despite that, it didn't make me feel any better.

"Oh, shi -"

I had almost stepped into a large puddle of water. The bright full moon reflected its light against it. Then, when I looked around, I found myself near the cave. The light of the fire illuminated the way back. I blinked in surprise.

"Huh?"

When did I return? Did I really get here that quickly? What time was it, anyway?

12:01 AM

It was a minute past midnight. I yawned loudly. There was certainly something odd about the situation, but I was starting to get too tired to deal with it. After making sure that I didn't drop anything, I just returned to the cave and sat myself down. I had better get a few hours of sleep while I still could.

"..."

Then, I noticed something else. The fire was still burning as brightly as it did when we first arrived. Both Mokou and Meiling were asleep, so how did it keep burning like that? There wasn't anyone adding wood to it. And when I took a closer look, the fire didn't seem to be consuming the wood at all. I then realized that there must be something special about the flame.

And I was tempted to take some of it with me.
[ ] Hold the vial near the fire.
[ ] Carefully wake Mokou.
[ ] Forget about it and sleep.

[X] GENUFLECT

It was total humiliation to be genuflecting before the person who had orchestrated the death of my family and broken the mind of my best friend. I couldn't die let myself get killed. Not here. Not yet. I didn't care about my own life. But I couldn't let this fucking bitch hurt anyone else. So I grit my teeth and meekly got down on my hands and knees.

"Please, I beg you! Return that update! I don't care what happens to me!"

"Oh? And why should I?"

"Anonymous needs it to survive! They need something to read when bored at school or work that isn't porn! They need something to quench their thirst to fantasize about life in a world populated almost exclusively of young girls! They need something to ridicule and mock so that they can use whatever literary learnings they have that will never be used in their real lives! They need something to troll when taking breaks from vidya and danbooru!"

I lifted my head, eyes burning with passion.

"Anonymous needs UPDATES!"

"Pwahahaha! That's rich! Do you really believe that?"

Tewi lifted her leg and rested it on my head like a goddamn footstool.

"You pathetic piece of shit! Anonymous doesn't give a rat's ass about you or your silly stories! They don't even know your fucking name, for crying out loud! All they want is Touhou porn, plain and simple! You are no better than all those hopeless artists and writers who keep dreaming that they will make it big some day. Isn't that right, gang?"

The rest of the Inaba Gang laughed and jeered at me. They started stepping on my head and spitting on me.

"Still think we're cute? No? A goddamn faggot, aint'cha?"

"Ye shoulda stayed home! Now we're really gonna fuck up that pretty face of yours..."

"Shit! Jus' lookin at his face is pissing me off. Feel like burning this motherfucker.."

"Hey boss! Say the word and I'll slice off his balls!"

"Let's string 'em up and drag him into some man-eating plants!"

"Bullshit! We's gotta put 'im inna sack and throw him into the lake!"

"No, that isn't right. Gentlemen, we must cut open his head and feed him his own brains!"

"..."

I didn't react. I didn't say anything. I waited until they ran out of things to say. Then, I repeated my request. My voice was firm.

"Please return the update."

Tewi stepped right beside me. She leaned forward and gave me a toothy smile.

"You have guts. I'll give you that. But let me tell you something.."

The bitch suddenly punched me in the gut.

"I hate it when other people try to lie to me~"

I was curled up in pain on the ground. Fuck! Fucking youkai punches were fucking painful! Fuck! Fuck! Fucking bitch!

"So tell me the real reason. Tell me, writefag: why should I return this update?"

I glared at her angrily. I was fucking pissed. But the bitch just smiled patiently. Fuck.

"You... want to know why? Why you should return that update? I'll tell you why..."

Screw this. I'm tired of playing this game. Fuck it all.

"It's a motherfucking Reisen route! That's why!"

Tewi stopped smiling. The Inaba Gang started whispering among themselves.

"..."

Suddenly, the Gang Leader turned around and started walking away.

"Anonymous shall have their update."

"You fucking... wait, what?"

"But you made a fatal mistake this day. Isn't that right, Inaba Bancho?"

She had an evil grin on her face. And I understood why. Inaba Bancho was the largest of the Gang and served as Tewi's enforcer. I heard that the giant once ripped a grown man in half. Poor bastard missed his last payment to the sharks. Some even said that she was strong enough to beat up Oni. But they drugged her up real bad. She didn't even look like a fucking rabbit anymore.

"YA FUCKIN' LOSER! NO MAN WOULD BOW DOWN SO EASILY! Die like the dog you are!"

Inaba Bancho then raised her fist and sent it hurtling toward my chest.

"INABA PUNCH!"

It went straight through my ribcage with a disgusting crunch. Fresh blood splattered everywhere...

And I died.

[x] "I am the spoon."

At first, the girl said nothing. She stared blankly at me. Then, a small smile slowly formed on her lips. And a moment later, she broke out into laughter. Unsure of how to react, or why I answered that way in the first place, I chose to wait quietly for her to speak again. A few minutes passed before she calmed down.

"Ahahaha!" she said. "Been a while since I've gotten such a unique answer."

'Unique', said the girl. I wondered to myself if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I just said the first thing that came to mind."

"Really now? How very interesting~"

She stared at me thoughtfully. I've seen that kind of face before. This couldn't mean anything good. I swallowed nervously. Flandre looked at me with that expression in the past. I had the worst feeling that this girl was making an estimate of how much damage I could suffer before breaking.

"Oh, where are my manners?" she said. "My name is Tewi Inaba, the White Rabbit of Good Fortune."

When she mentioned the words, 'good fortune', a chill ran down my spine. But I felt like the situation would become much more dangerous if I didn't answer. I introduced myself uneasily.

"That's an interesting name. Very interesting, indeed~"

Tewi took a couple of steps closer. She was certainly much shorter, but I felt a dangerous aura about her. It was different from Flandre. I felt that this person didn't have to rely on power to get what she wanted.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Huh? Well, alright then."

She took another step closer. Then, she lowered her voice and whispered.

"Do you like young girls?"

"W-w-what?"

"Answer carefully now," said Tewi. "If you say the wrong thing, I'll get very angry~"

"Er... how do I say this?"

Her voice certainly had a seductive tone, but the way she said 'angry' made me shiver. I couldn't look her in the eye as I spoke.

"I-I guess that I don't dislike them, or something."

She folded her arms and pouted at me.

"That's no good! Don't give me such an indecisive answer!"

"Ahaha.."

Tewi sighed and looked up at the moon.

"Well, it isn't like I hadn't heard that before," she said. "That person was the same way. I still don't know if he was being kind or cruel."

She seemed to be staring at something in the distance that only she could see. A minute passed in silence.

"Tewi?"

"Ah! Sorry about that!"

The little rabbit girl gave me a big cheerful grin. She started hopping a bit from side to side.

"Since I still have some time, why don't we play a little game?"

"A game?"

"If you win, I'll give you a special charm that grants good fortune. Sound good, doesn't it~"

"And if I lose?"

"It wouldn't be interesting if there wasn't any risk involved. So let's see..."

Something glinted in her eye. I felt very uneasy.

"If you lose, then I'll take that empty crystal vial in your pocket."

Huh? How did she know I was carrying that?
[ ] Play with her.
[ ] Don't play with her.
[ ] Negotiate the stakes. (Specify)

[x] Investigate. What was that?

Very slowly, I opened my eyes. To my left, Meiling was sleeping peacefully. I didn't want to disturb her, so I quietly stood myself up. Across the fire to the right, Mokou was sitting silently with her arms folded. At first glance, I thought that she was still watching the flames. But when I looked carefully, her eyes were closed and her head was tilted slightly forward. Seemed like she was asleep as well.

That was strange. Both of the girls were asleep, and there wasn't anyone else inside the cave. Was I imagining things? If this were an ordinary evening, I would have thought so. But I wasn't in the mood to take chances after what happened earlier. I paused to examine my rifle, making sure that it was loaded. Then, I replaced it in the holster and took it with me.

".. again..."

Huh? I thought I heard a voice. It was very faint, but it seemed to come from nearby. I stepped outside. The rain had stopped, and not far from here was a large puddle of water. I could see the reflection of the bright full moon within it. As I approached, I saw myself as well, standing in the bamboo forest. But there was something off. I rubbed the dust from my eyes. But it was still there. In the water's reflection, I saw a small girl behind me. She faced the moon, while I faced the water.

"Here I am again," said a voice. "Standing alone at the end of the world."

I turned around, and sure enough, there was someone standing nearby. The girl had black shoulder-length black hair and a pair of white rabbit ears. She was dressed in a pink dress full of frills. Even as I stood only a few feet from here, she didn't turn around. She just kept watching the moon as she talked to herself.

"This isn't lucky at all, is it? The days pass by again and again, everyone trying their hardest. But still, nothing changes in the end."

The girl sighed loudly to herself. There was much melancholy in her voice.

"I never thought that I'd start to tire of someone else's tricks.."

Strange. I had no idea who this person was, or what she was talking about. But I felt something tug at my heart as she spoke.

"The same moon again," she said. "It was the same one as yesterday, wasn't it? And the day before yesterday? Or was it a week ago? A month ago? A year ago? A decade? A century? A millenium? The same damn moon! Again and again.."

I couldn't explain it, but there was something this stranger and I shared. Perhaps it was a similar experience?

"Why won't it change?"

Or perhaps, it was the same pain. I didn't know at the time. All I knew was that something deep within pushed me to speak out.

"Then why don't you change the moon yourself?" I said.

"Eh?" she said. "Change the moon myself?"

The girl slowly turned around and jumped slightly at me. Her eyes widened in surprise. Seemed like she did not realize that I was here until this moment. She quickly turned around, pretending to fix her hair and dress. But in that short moment, I noticed it. Her eyes had been damp.

"This is new," she said. "How curious."

She faced me again. This time, she had a smile upon her face. It looked a bit strained, but I noticed a hint of mischief and excitement.

"I didn't expect someone else here. Have you also come to watch as this world ends?"

"Watch the world end? What are you talking about?"

I glanced around me. The cave entrance was nowhere in sight, and the scenery had changed. The two of us were standing in a large clearing in the bamboo forest, with a clear view of the moon above. The bamboo grew much taller in this place, surrounding the area like a great wall. This place felt like a well-hidden secret.

"Ah! Now this is interesting~"

The girl's smile widened as she looked at me.

"Shall we start with a simple riddle, then?"

"A riddle? Wait, what?"

"Tell me now," she said. "Do you believe that you are real?"

[ ] "..."
[ ] "I am real."
[ ] "I am not real."
[ ] "I am the spoon."

[x] Don't answer. Ask her a question, instead.

Patchouli told me before that it was rare for Outsiders to become residents of Gensokyo. Most of them died out in the wilderness soon after they arrived. And if they were lucky enough to meet a friendly resident, they were led back to where they came from. She said that I shouldn't mention my origin to strangers. There were some youkai and even a few humans that looked at Outsiders with suspicion and anger.

I looked at Mokou carefully. She didn't seem to have any evil intentions. In fact, I was getting the impression that she was probably a nice person deep inside. But despite that, I didn't feel comfortable enough to tell her my story. The last thing I wanted was to risk making her an enemy.

"It's a long, complicated story. I'd rather not discuss it."

"I see."

Mokou nodded to herself and started staring back into the fire. She didn't ask anything else. Several minutes passed quietly. I glanced outside and saw that the rain wasn't stopping. We might be forced to stay the night in here. I sighed to myself as I looked back at the fire.

"..."

It was only for a moment, but I thought I saw her staring at my face. But when I checked, she was already watching the fire again. I had a feeling that she wanted to say something.

"Why did you ask about me?" I said.

She glanced at me for a moment before facing the fire again.

"I thought I recognized your face," said Mokou. "But I guess I was mistaken. You clearly aren't one of the villagers."

Eh? What was that feeling just now? Deja vu?

"..."

I waited a bit, but she didn't say anything more. Mokou didn't seem to be the type to poke into others' business and that relieved me. Still, there was something about her that made me curious.

"Sorry to ask," I said. "But you mentioned the name 'Keine' earlier. Did you mean the village guardian, Keine Kamishirasawa?"

Mokou nodded slowly.

"She is an old friend of mine," said Mokou. "I pass by the village once in a while. We haven't seen each other lately, though. I've been keeping busy."

"Busy?"

She looked at me carefully for a moment.

"The area has been growing more dangerous recently. Youkai attacks have been increasing, and several villagers have gone missing. You two were lucky that I was on patrol earlier."

"Sorry for troubling you."

Mokou turned back to the fire. She stared at it in deep thought. Then, when I had thought that the conversation was over, she spoke.

"Don't go anywhere near Eientei," she whispered. "Something strange is happening there. The lunarians are hiding the truth."

"Huh?"

Then, she glanced at the outside of the cave.

"The rain doesn't look like it's going to stop," she said. "We should get some rest."

She didn't seem like a bad person. And she was right. I was tired and exhausted. But before I went to sleep, there was something I needed to tell her.

"Hey Mokou," I said.

"Mm?"

"Nice pants."

"... idiot."

As soon as I closed my eyes, I felt my troubles melt away. Sweet slumber indeed. And I had almost dropped off completely when I heard something moving. It sounded like it was coming from nearby.
[ ] Too tired. Just get back to sleep.
[ ] Investigate. Was that Mokou?
[ ] Investigate. Was that Meiling?
[ ] Investigate. What was that?

[x] "We need a place to stay."

"Doesn't matter to me," said the strange girl. "But I guess I can let you follow if you like."

The girl said that her name was 'Mokou', but she didn't say much else. I sensed immediately that she wasn't the talkative type, so I didn't pry any further. But she did seem to be familiar with the area. With no better option, I decided to take a chance and accept the girl's offer. She just gave me a disinterested shrug.

"I don't really care, either way."

A short while later, we found ourselves walking along the bamboo forest. Mokou led the way while I hurried behind her. Meiling slept soundly as I carried her on my back. I still held my rifle in my hand, comfortable in the thought that it was fully loaded. This place was very dangerous. And I didn't exactly have much reason to trust the newcomer.

"..."

Neither of us spoke as we moved onward (the gate guard's snoring didn't count). I couldn't think of anything to talk about. And even if I did, I felt that it was a bad idea to make too much noise. Mokou probably thought the same. She didn't speak at all, though she did pause a few times to let us catch up with her.

Hmm. Now that I thought about it, she never mentioned where she was taking us. Were we headed to Eientei? While there were many strange rumors about that place, I heard that they weren't so unkind as to refuse lost travellers. Or perhaps we were headed to the Human Village? That would probably be the safest place in the area. In fact, I should have headed there in the first place. I knew Keine well, and she would probably let us stay the night.

"We can stay here," said Mokou.

I glanced at the opening behind the oddly dressed girl. Then, I raised an eyebrow at her.

"... huh? But that's just a cave, isn't it?"

"What do you expect? An inn?"

"No, it isn't that..."

What I said next probably wasn't the smartest thing to say.

"I guess I didn't expect a girl like you to be living in a cave."

"...what?"

"D-don't misunderstand! I don't have anything against girls who were raised in caves or what not. And I am absolutely sure that you were brought up just as well as any other respectable inhabitant of Gensokyo. In no way do I judge a person by their manner of dress or where they live."

Mokou just stared at me, her mouth half-open. She blinked. Then, she covered her face with her palm and sighed.

"Why do I always meet the really idiotic ones?" she muttered to herself.

"Ahahaha.."

"I don't live here, you damn fool. This is the closest shelter we can reach before it rains."

With that, our conversation was over. The girl walked straight into the cave. And just as she entered, I felt a few water droplets hit my face. Rain? I quickly hurried after her. And as soon as we were all in the cave, a sudden rain shower hit the area. It was just as she said. Rain.

Was it raining at the mansion?

Mokou gave me a slight nod as she sat herself before a small fire. Eh? How did she build a fire so quickly? Not that I was complaining, of course. Well, it probably didn't mattered. I shrugged the question away and put down the unconscious gate guard. She was still sleeping soundly. Then, I took off my jacket and placed it over her.

"..."

Until Meiling woke up, I had to prepare for the worst. I put the rifle down beside me, making sure that it was within reach. Then, I glanced at the longer haired girl. She stared back silently. We sat quietly in front of the fire, waiting for the rain to stop. We must have sat like that for quite some time. I was beginning to nod off when Mokou finally spoke. And what she said surprised me.

"That girl you carried," she said. "She works at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, does she not? Keine told me about her before."

"Ah, is that so."

This girl knows Keine?

"That's odd. I heard all about the red mist incident and the mansion by the lake."

Mokou looked at me with interest.

"But I have never heard of you."

[ ] Don't answer. It isn't any of her business.
[ ] Don't answer. Just try to get some sleep.
[ ] Don't answer. Ask her a question, instead. (Specify)

[x] The Bamboo Forest of the Lost.

"This was a really bad idea."

Here I was, exhausted and tired. I had been carrying an unconscious girl on my back, and while it was pleasant for a short while, the novelty soon wore off. I had been walking for what had been almost an hour, and I was well aware that the footpath had vanished several minutes ago. Backtracking was useless. The bamboo forest looked the same from every direction. I couldn't find anything that I could use as a landmark.

"Stupid bamboo forest," I grumbled "How am I supposed to get through this place without getting lost!?"

Oh, right. This place was named the 'Bamboo Forest of the Lost', wasn't it? Now that I thought about it, I hadn't seen any clearings ever since I set foot in this place. To make things worse, the bamboo seemed to grow in strange directions, making it impossible to navigate. Even if I tried heading straight back where I came from, I only ended up making several twists and turns. And that wasn't the worst part.

I was pretty damn sure that we were being followed. It was only for a second, but I saw something move from the side of my eye. No, that wasn't right. I saw several things moving behind us. This couldn't possibly mean anything good. I swallowed nervously as I stepped through the thicket.

"Hey," I whispered. "A little help here?"

"T-that tickles, Sakuya-nyan! Ehehe..."

"Umm, Meiling?"

"...zzzzz...."

Ugh, damn. Meiling was completely out of it. I nudged her several more times, but she just continued mumbling stupid things in her sleep. The gate guard was completely unaware of our current predicament. And during the worst time, too. I sighed loudly.

After finding the closest thing to a small clearing, I gently put the gate guard down. She continued sleeping soundly, as if the hard ground was a comfy bed. I tried shaking her and calling out loudly, but it was no use. Meiling must have drank too much. Clearly, I couldn't count on her tonight.

"..."

Well, I didn't have the heart to blame this on her. After all, it was my 'brilliant' idea to seek shelter in the Bamboo Forest. Now that I thought about it, I never visited Eientei by foot before. And we were travelling at night time. Yep, this must rank pretty high among the 'Top ways to get yourself killed in Gensokyo'.

Too bad I didn't plan on dying tonight.

Very slowly, I pulled out my rifle from the shoulder holster. Then, I turned around and aimed carefully into the bamboo stalks behind us. It was very faint, but I saw the tiniest glow of red eyes in the distance. 'Good thing I kept this gun loaded,' I thought.

"BANG!"

A loud screech echoed in the forest. The silhouette of the creature became clear as it flapped its wings. A giant beast crow? I quickly prepared to take another shot. The creature was soaring straight for my head with its claws.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The fourth shot connected with the creatures head, and it finally fell down and stopped moving. I kept the gun on the crow until I was sure that it was a corpse. Then, I sighed in relief. Looking at it closer, the bird was large enough to swoop down and carry away a full-grown cow from the Human Village. A damn dangerous beast indeed.

"Zzzz... Munya~"

"..."

I glanced at Meiling. She managed to sleep through all of that? Unbelievable! This was getting ridiculous. If more of those things came and attacked, we'd be in real trouble -

"Caw! Caw! Caw!"

Like right now, apparently. I looked up to see several giant crows circling us from above. None of them looked any smaller than the one I just killed.

"Ah, shit."

I reloaded the rifle as quickly as I could. And as I raised it up at them, I saw that they were already swooping down at us. There were too many. I knew that at heart. But still, I didn't run. Instead, I aimed at the closest one and fired.

"BANG! BANG!"

Got one in the wing. It swerved and crashed into the bamboo stalks.

"BANG!"

Hit another one in the beak. That looked painful.

"BANG! BANG!"

And with that, I was out of ammo. There wasn't enough time to reload, so I changed my grip on the rifle to swing it like a club. It was probably a futile effort, but I wasn't going to die here without a fight.

"Damn," I muttered.

Just then, I felt like giving Gensokyo the finger and a big 'fuck you'. Facing a bad end like this without warning? Well, shit! I closed my eyes, tightened my grip on the rifle and rushed forward, hoping that I could club the brains out of one of those things before they tore me apart.

"... wait, what?"

It took me a couple of minutes to realize that something was off. First, I wasn't dead or in extreme pain. Second, I didn't hit anything as I swung the rifle. Third, something smelled like grilled chicken. I slowly opened my eyes.

"You have guts, facing those beast crows like that."

A girl stood before me with fiery red eyes and light violet hair that reached her ankles. She wore a discolored brown shirt and a pair of red overalls that had a number of paper charms on them. Her hair was tied with those same charms. 'Such an odd costume', I thought.

Then, I looked around the area. Several charred crow corpses littered the area. Some bamboo stalks looked burnt as well, though none were on fire. I immediately realized that this girl was very dangerous.

"So then," she said. "Where are you two idiots headed this late at night?"

I frowned at the newcomer.
[ ] "We are heading to Eientei."
[ ] "We need a place to stay."
[ ] "We got lost in the forest."
[ ] "We aren't telling you."
[ ] "We don't need your help."
[ ] "We are here to murder you."

Under the Scarlet Moonlight: Endless Silver

[x] A romantic song

Two figures flying under moonlight~♪
Human and Youkai, meeting in secret~♪
What stories do they tell at night~♪
Tales that make this girl's chest feel tight~♪

I just want to sing a tender song~♪
Hug me? Hug me? Only if you listen~♪
I just want to sing a tender song~♪
Kiss me? Kiss me? Only if you listen~♪

You can't see beyond this stand~♪
I'm just a night bird, singing in the darkness~♪
Blinded and lost, just hold my hand~♪
Close your eyes, listen as I whisper softly and~♪

I'll be your night bird, only for you~♪
But only if you listen~♪

I clapped politely for Mystia, and the gateguard beside me cheered loudly. The stand owner blushed a little at the applause. The mood was pretty good this evening. Since we were the last customers here, she said she would sing something for us as 'special service'. Well, it wasn't really unusual for her to sing while working, but even I thought that her last song was surprisingly good. Either that or the alcohol was starting to get to me. Still good fun, though.

"You have a great voice, Mystia," I said. "Why don't you perform at the village one of these days? With a voice like that, you could easily become a big hit."

"R-really? But the humans there get angry whenever I sing~"

"Maybe you should stop making them night-blind, then?"

The sparrow girl stuck out her tongue and winked. She was still a youkai at heart.

"Red in the night, kidnap some humans~"

We were interrupted by the loud clatter of a drinking cup.

"One more," cried Meiling. "Give me one more!"

"Eh? Haven't you had enough?" I said. "You already had quite a few and -"

The gate guard narrowed her eyes at me.

"I said that I'm not finished yet," she grumbled.

"Alright, here's another for our favored regular~"

I apologized silently as Mystia poured another drink for Meiling. The sparrow girl was starting to look tired, but she still managed to smile for her customers. 'This was going to be a really long night,' I thought to myself. And sure enough, we stayed there for quite some time. It was only when the gate guard finally passed out that we stopped.

"Are you sure that you can get back safely? I can go with you, if you like~"

"We'll be fine," I said. "You've done more than enough. Thanks, Mystia."

With that, I started going down the path carrying the unconscious gate guard on my back. Truth be told, I was a bit tipsy myself. It didn't help that I was carrying a heavy sawed-off rifle across my shoulder. And Meiling wasn't exactly that light. After a few minutes of walking, I found that I was starting to get pretty tired. Ugh, not good. It looked like I had no choice but find a place where we could stay the night. Someplace close.

Three roads diverged in a wood, and we took the one that led to...
[ ] The Human Village.
[ ] The Antique Store - Kourindou.
[ ] The Bamboo Forest of the Lost.

[x] "Heaven's Punishment 「Star of David」"

Remilia stood up and stared carefully at the grounds. Now that he had safely returned, it was time to face the intruder. A foreign presence had been watching them from the beginning. And even now it remained in this place, violating her territory. The infamous 'Scarlet Devil ' would not stand for this.

"Now, be obedient," she declared. "If you surrender yourself, I'll kill you quickly and only once."

It was only for a moment, but a hooded figure moved behind one of the trees. Ah! So that was where it was hiding. The vampire pulled out a spell card from her dress. She smiled darkly as she prepared the spell. After all, she preferred crushing her opponents with her own power. Especially when they openly mocked her like this.

"Heaven's Punishment 「Star of David」!"

A huge array of red lasers shot out from her hands, slicing the well-kept garden into pieces within seconds. The beams of light bent and swerved, and wherever they intersected, a great explosion of energy was released. Soon, the grounds were in ruins. But she did not stop. The vampire laughed in excitement as she continued her barrage. A few of the lasers even shot out into the inverted ocean above, causing violent waves. The red sky moaned eerily, as if it was in pain. And when her spell card was finally over, everything around her was in complete ruins. Nothing was left standing.

"What a fool to enter the Devil's lair uninvited! But it seems like I went a bit overboard. There isn't even enough left to make hamburgers. How weak and pathetic! Kyahahahahahahaha!"

She didn't even have to use a second spell card. Perhaps she had overestimated her opponent. There was no one who could stand against her within this place, after all. Absolutely no one! She laughed loudly once more, in a less than elegant manner. It was only after she had calmed down that she noticed something wrong.

"Eh?"

Remilia checked again. It was gone! She looked around her, but it was nowhere in sight. Her hat had gone missing. How? Did she lose it during the spell card trance? Impossible! But where could it be?

"W-w-what the... where did it.. ah!?"

As if on cue, a strange purple door appeared nearby. 'It was most certainly not there before,' she thought. Then, the handle turned and someone stepped out.

"What a rude greeting," said the stranger. "You could have damaged my robes back there."

Before Remilia stood a man wearing thick grey robes that reached his ankles. He held a long wooden walking stick in his hands, and his face remained hidden by a hood. She felt an unfamiliar power from this person, but immediately recognized him as a high level magician.

"You survived that attack?"

She raised the Gungnir toward the intruder threateningly.

"Perhaps I should use something more powerful this time..."

The man in grey shook his head and gave her a smile.

"No need for such violence. I did not come here to fight."

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the ground before him began to turn green with fresh grass. Trees and bushes sprouted from the ground and flowers bloomed. Remilia watched in awe as the stranger completely restored the gardens within seconds.

"You can manipulate the material within my territory? T-that shouldn't be possible!"

"It isn't," replied the man. "What I just demonstrated was nothing short of a miracle."

She couldn't help but take a step back.

"Who are you? Why did you come to this place?"

"Don't worry. I don't intend to interfere. I am only here as an observer."

The stranger giggled at Remilia's unease.

"As for who I am," he said. "It wouldn't matter. You wouldn't recognize my true name even if I told you. It has not yet become relevant to this side of the board. For now, just think of me as a simple traveller in grey."

Without saying another word, the stranger walked up to the tea table and took a seat. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured himself a hot cup of tea.

"Hey wait!" cried Remilia. "W-what the hell are you doing? Don't just invite yourself to my party!"

He turned to the vampire and snapped his fingers once more. And out popped Remilia's hat, landing safely upon her head.

"You can call me Hansel."

[ ] A cheerful song
[ ] A peaceful song
[ ] A romantic song

[x] A crystal vial. Its price is "Restraint".

"Glad to see that you are taking it a bit more seriously this time."

"I really don't think I'll need it," I said. "But I guess that doing something different won't hurt."

"So what did you pick out?"

I showed Remilia what I had in my hand. It was a small crystal vial. Even if it was empty right now, I felt like this item may be of use. Its price was "Restraint", and that wasn't an easy thing to give up. There must be something special about it. And besides, purchasing a little insurance wasn't against the rules.

"Interesting choice. I wonder what you'll choose to put in it?"

"Eh? Isn't it against the rules to explain what this does?"

"Not if I only give hints," she said. "And here is one you should take to heart: don't break that vial unless you really must. It'll only crash once, after all."

"Huh?"

"If you don't get it now, don't worry. You'll understand when the time comes. But for now, it's my turn to play seriously. Follow me."

The vampire led me to the other side of the armory. Wait a second, this place was familiar. I passed here several times before, hoping that something would be labelled. This was the firearms section of the Voile Armory. On display were a number of old guns and cannons. Most of them seemed to be in working condition. But when I checked, there wasn't anything I could take here.

"Umm.. Remilia?"

"Don't disturb me. I'm trying to decide."

She started walking around on her own, examining the different guns. I watched silently until she finally stopped. Something had clearly caught her eye. Remilia nodded to herself and picked up an odd weapon. It flashed bright red as she took it. Then, she put it in my hands.

"That is a sawed-off Winchester M-1894. It can hold five rounds. You should have no trouble using it indoors."

It came with a shoulder holster that I could sling across my shoulder. Next, she handed me a heavy metal box.

"Those are custom-made silver-tipped bullets. They are capable of heavy damage against most types of youkai."

I stared at her with mouth agape.

"You are giving me a weapon?"

Remilia gave me a grim smile.

"This is called strategy," she said. "Besides, it won't do me any good if you die right away."

The gun felt heavy in my hands. I was no expert, but I knew that this was a very dangerous thing to carry.

"Just be careful when aiming that thing. It can hurt vampires too, you know."

"Wait, what?"

"And now that we're done here.."

The vampire stepped forward and took my head. In an instant, we found ourself in the pure white room once more. A familiar door stood a few feet away. I glanced at Remilia. Like last time, she pulled out a large metal key ring from her dress.

"Only one 'gate' is open to you right now, so make the most out of it."

She handed me a small brass key. If I recalled correctly, this goes to the greenhouse.

"Thanks for everything," I said. "Is there anything else you can tell me before I go?"

Remilia paused for a moment.

"Don't give up."

With that, I headed toward the door, key in hand. I turned the handle and stepped forward into Gensokyo once more. Remilia watched until the door closed behind me. And when she was sure that I had left, she sighed to herself and vanished.

"..."

Remilia Scarlet reappeared in the gardens. She sat down for a moment and drank a bit of tea to calm herself down. And after she had prepared herself, she stood up and muttered a spell command under her breath. A dangerously sharp spear materialized in her hands. Then, she finally turned to face the unwelcome intruder that had been watching them from the shadows.

[ ] "Heaven's Punishment 「Star of David」"
[ ] "Dark Sign, 「Scarlet Netherworld」"
[ ] "Curse, 「Curse of Vlad Tepes」"

[x] Ask for a hint.
[x] Visit the Voile Armory.

A glance was enough for me to notice that there was something different about Remilia. She wasn't smiling at all. The atmosphere was much heavier than before. I still had a number of different questions. So many things remained unclear. But before I could ask her, there was something that I had to do.

"Sorry about earlier," I said.

"..."

The vampire girl didn't answer. Instead, she just turned her attention back to her dessert. I lowered my head shamefully. That was really foolish. I felt like banging my head against the table. But I didn't in the fear of spilling the desserts. So I just held my head in my hands. I sighed. Hmm? Oh right, the desserts. Maybe something sweet would help me think. I slowly picked up the spoon to taste a bit of my fruit parfait.

"Hey, this isn't half bad.."

I continued assaulting the dessert with my tongue, greedily savoring the flavor. Distracted by the discovery of this delicious decadence, I almost failed to hear Remilia speak.

"It's good to see you too," she whispered.

"Mmph?"

"N-never mind," said the vampire. "Anyway, we should get back to business. Did you have any questions for me?"

I quickly swallowed the food in my mouth. Indeed, there was something that had bothered me for a while now.

"I've noticed that the rope and compass appeared last time. Did anyone else pay a price for them?"

Remilia didn't answer right away. She toyed with her dessert for a bit, as if in deep thought.

"I can't tell you the details," she said. "But let me say this: the rules aren't as simple as they seem. Despite what you might think, my position here isn't very powerful. In fact, I only have a view of the pieces on this side of the board."

"I see. Then how about these 'links' you mentioned? What do you suggest I do to build upon them when there is so little time?

This time, the vampire answered immediately.

"Make time!" she said. "That part is far more crucial than you can imagine!"

"A-alright," said I. "In any case, you mentioned a 'strategy'. Do you have something in mind?"

Remilia didn't look me in the eye this time. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought that she was glancing behind me. Huh? I turned around again, but there was no one there. And when I faced her again, she started talking as if nothing was odd.

"I'll explain that part later," she said. "Yes, I had better tell you right before you leave."

Suddenly, she took my hand. I knew what was coming.

"In a hurry, are we?" I said.

We were instantly transported to the Voile Armory. Though honestly, it would have been more apt to name this place the 'Voile Warehouse'. While there were some items of interest, most of these things seemed like old junk. Remilia gently tugged on my sleeve.

"Do you remember how this works? I'd hate to explain it all again."

"Yeah, I got the gist of it, I guess."

With that, I started walking around. There was an innumerable amount of things in this place. A few interesting weapons caught my eye, but like before, they didn't have any labels. I grinned to myself as I imagined walking out of this place with a crank-operated gatling gun. Yep. There was no doubt about it. That would have been damn awesome. But like many awesome things, the ones on display here weren't on sale.

I sighed loudly. By the time I completed my rounds, I only spotted a couple of new items that had labels. And none of them looked very unusual. Still, I felt that it would be a waste to walk out of here empty-handed.

What shall I take with me?
[ ] A length of rope. Its price is "Trust".
[ ] A crystal vial. Its price is "Restraint".
[ ] A small compass. Its price is "Time".
[ ] A ballpoint pen. Its price is "Accuracy".
[ ] A silver candlestick. Its price is "Calm".
[ ] I don't need any of this junk.

Under the Scarlet Moonlight

Remilia Scarlet sat before me, enjoying a sweet treat: a western dessert layered with ice cream, sweet syrup and fresh fruits. I thought that I had seen this before. A fruit parfait, was it? It even had a generous slice of flan on top. The vampire girl smiled as she took another bite.

"Are you not having any?" she asked.

"..."

In front of me was a tall serving of the same type of dessert she was having. I did not ask for it, nor did I think it the proper time to enjoy such things. But clearly, the vampire thought otherwise. It seemed like she had it prepared before I had arrived.

"Or perhaps you aren't fond of sweet things?"

"..."

We sat at a tea table outside in the gardens. But this place wasn't the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I only had to look up to realize that this place wasn't even in Gensokyo. Instead of clouds and clear skies, there was an inverted ocean of blood and shadow. Hundreds or perhaps even thousands of humanoid silhouettes reached out toward the ground in desperation before being swallowed back into the violent waves. The crimson 'sky' glowed eerily, casting a shade of red light down below. I watched the sight with little interest. This wasn't my first time here. I was sure of that. If it was, then I would have been far more surprised.

"You have been quiet ever since you got back," said Remilia. "Perhaps you are feeling a bit tired? You can rest a bit inside before we talk. I can have the guest room prepared and -"

"Forget about it!" I cried angrily.

I had been here at least once, perhaps even more times. And I didn't like that one bit.

"E-eh? Well, you don't have to be so rude! Here I was, just trying to be polite and you suddenly start shouting.."

"I'm tired of your tricks," I said. "What is this really about?"

Remilia paused for a moment to put down her spoon.

"I already told you before. This place isn't hell. You aren't dead. And we are enjoying a little tea party out in the garden. Or at least, I was until now. In any case, you are going to go back as soon as our business here is finished. Have you already forgotten the rules?"

"Do you think I had time to think about your damned rules? Were you even watching?"

"It isn't that simple," she said. "And these aren't my rules. But don't worry. I can see that you have improved greatly from the last run. We should see if we can revise our strategy and -"

"Don't give me that bullshit! How could you possibly say that it went better?"

The vampire calmly watched me with interest.

"You managed to protect my sister, didn't you?"

"..."

"Did that not mean anything to you?"

"... but!"

"Never close your eyes to the miracle in front of you, no matter how small."

At that very moment, I thought I heard someone chuckle from afar. I quickly turned around, but no one was there. Was I hearing things? I had the strangest feeling that we were being watched. But when I looked at Remilia, she gave no sign that she heard anything. She simply continued as if she hadn't been interrupted.

"I mentioned before that there is more than one way to send you back. But this time is a little different. Only one 'gate' is open to you right now. And unless you strengthen your link with the others, you may have no way to go back next time."

I frowned hard at her.

"Is this some kind of game to you?"

She shook her head solemnly.

"This is no game."

I paused for a moment to think.
[ ] Ask for a hint. (Specify the question)
[ ] Visit the Voile Armory.
[ ] Time to go back.

And what about the fruit parfait?
[ ] Don't touch it.
[ ] Take a few bites.
[ ] Finish it before leaving.

[x] Suwako

Flandre turned to the side as I watched. She had a small smile on her peaceful sleeping face. Was she having a nice dream? If so, I was sure that it had something to do with sweets, like swimming in a pool of chocolate pudding or climbing a mountain of jelly. When she woke up, she would probably spend a good part of the afternoon telling me all about it. Even now, that part of her hadn't changed. I felt tempted to go back inside to stroke her hair for a bit, but now wasn't the time.

"She reminds me a bit of Sanae," said Suwako. "When the girl was younger, of course."

"..."

After glancing at the vampire girl one last time, I closed the door with a heavy sigh. More than a month had passed since the incident. But I still remember it clearly.

The flames had already consumed the mansion and most of the grounds. It even spread to part of the woods. I barely reached the main path as I carried Flandre on my back. And just when I was about to pass out from exhaustion, Keine, Reimu and several others arrived to help. From what I heard afterward, they managed to put out the flames. But it was already too late. Several bodies were found, but they were too badly burnt to identify. And when they searched the area for other survivors, they found none. As I feared, only Flandre and I escaped that cruel fate. And we didn't walk away unharmed, either.

Flandre had lost her memories and suffered from some sort of amnesia. Or at least, that was what I first thought. I only learned of the real damage at Eientei. Dr. Yagokoro, the famous lunarian genius, explained that even she couldn't do anything for her. She told me that the very concept of her past memories had been destroyed when the vampire girl used her ability on herself. There was nothing left to recover. The most she could do was implant new memories into her mind. I refused, of course.

Not long after, I heard that Reimu called a major meeting at the Hakurei Shrine. Several influential groups sent their representatives, including the Saigyouji, Komeiji, and Yakumo groups. It was there that Suwako herself offered to take us in. I didn't understand why, but it turned into quite an argument. Several others also wanted us to stay with them. Keine said that the meeting almost became violent for that reason alone.

Up to now, I had no idea how the mountain goddess convinced them. But in the end, it was the Moriya family that took us in.

"Still thinking about the past?"

I gave Suwako a polite nod. She gave me a small smile.

"Let's take a walk," she said.

The two of us left the shrine grounds and started walking down the mountain path. For the first few minutes, neither of us said anything. A cool breeze blew as we passed. The trees swayed gently above. Despite its reputation, Youkai Mountain was quite peaceful nowadays. At least around the Moriya Shrine, anyway.

"It's a nice day today," said Suwako. "Don't you love days like this?"

"..."

"I like peaceful days like this. It almost feels like nothing could go wrong with the world."

"..."

"But you and I both know how dangerous it is to think that way. Even now, another incident is about to hit this very place."

".. another incident?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to her. The mountain goddess sighed sadly.

"The Moriya Shrine is going to be attacked," she said.

"..when?"

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in another mess."

A large iron ring materialized in her hand. Before I could react, she threw it towards me. I blinked in surprise as it got closer. Then suddenly..

"CRACK!"

She.. missed? No, I definitely heard something crack. But it wasn't my skull. Something behind me? I turned around, and sure enough, a great earthen golem was falling backward. The ground rumbled as it crashed. It seemed like Suwako aimed for the control seal. I see. She had probably -

"Oh damn.."

I didn't have time to warn her. Instead, I muttered a few spell commands. A strangely shaped metal wand materialized in my hand. Without hesitation, I raised it toward her direction and aimed carefully.

"Forbidden Sign, 「No Haven」"

Several bright red lances of fire shot out and impaled the control seal on the second golem's chest. It fell back and shattered into several pieces. Suwako didn't even turn around to check. Instead, she just stared at me quietly. She knew what I was, of course. In fact, she probably knew even before I did.

"Are you certain that you want to do this?"

"I told you that I could handle it," I said.

The goddess shook her head.

"I know you can use it," she said. "But that power comes with a great price for humans. Are you sure of this?"

"I am the new bearer of the Laevateinn," I said. "I wield this weapon now. And in Flandre's place, I will burn away the darkness and everything else that threatens my friends."

"Even if the whole world burns with it?"

I gave her a bitter smile.

"Even if the whole world burns with it."



DRAGON PRINCESS: END



.


..


...



[ ] Fury
[ ] Rage
[ ] Wrath

[x] Fruit Parfait

The guard travelled alone, taking no steed and no armor. The journey was difficult and lonely. But finally, he was at the end. With only his guardsman's blade in hand, he stood before the dragon's cavern.

"Come, dragon!" cried the guard. "I challenge you in the name of the princess!"

The ground rumbled and shook. A deep voice boomed from the darkness.

"Speak," it said. "Why do you challenge me?"

"To serve the kingdom," he cried. "This is an order from the royal family. An order that I cannot refuse."

"Is that so," spoke the voice. "Tell me then, why you cannot refuse this order?"

"The princess herself asked this of me," cried the guard. "She called me to her chamber to give these orders. And no matter what the cost, I will fulfill her final request!"

"Then why do you care for the royalty? They have chosen to sell your kingdom to the most powerful and wicked men of the land."

"I have no interest in wealth or politics," he cried. "But if it is for the princess, I shall risk everything! Even my own life!"

"And why would you risk so much for her?"

"Because she is my friend!" he cried. "And I love her!"

"I see..."

The ground shook violently as the dragon emerged from its cavern. Its gargantuan form towered over the guard, which was but an insect in comparison.

"If that is your answer, then you must prepare yourself."

Without another word, the dragon lowered its neck in front of the guard and closed its eyes.

"You are worthy," it said. "Take your prize, my friend."

The guard then raised his sword and swung it down with all his might.

And he was made king.

I closed the book and put it away. For some reason, this was one of the few items that were recovered from the mansion. Keine brought it here when she visited yesterday. She said that it was left completely untouched by the flames.

"..."

Flandre had already fallen asleep. No surprise. The sun was already starting to rise, after all. She was shivering a little bit, so I pulled up the sheets of her futon. Looked like she still wasn't used to the cold mountain air. I sighed sadly. Neither was I.

After making sure that she was comfortable, I stepped outside. Someone was waiting for me. But I already knew that. I pushed up my glasses before I spoke.

"Is it time?" I asked.

'That person' nodded solemnly.
[ ] Sanae
[ ] Kanako
[ ] Suwako

[x] Head back to the mansion.

When I got back, the Scarlet Devil Mansion was in complete ruins. Crushed stones and bricks were scattered all over the place. The main building was on fire and had begun to collapse under its own weight. It looked like the remains of a warzone. A reminder of a lost battle.

"No..."

I ran up to the main gate, but I couldn't pass. It was blocked off with burning embers, and the flames were too hot to approach. I continued walking along the walls. Ah! There was a large crack on the west side. I carefully slipped through it to get within the grounds.

The gardens were not spared from the devastation. The carefully maintained hedges and flowering bushes were now torn apart and crushed by fallen chunks of wall. Trees that had once given shade were now broken and burning. The blaze greedily consumed everything in its path.

I continued onward, searching for survivors. Though even then, I knew of only one person who could have caused this destruction. And I hoped and prayed that she had somehow made it out alive. I called out the girl's name loudly, but no one answered. Despair began to fill my heart.

After circling the mansion ruins the second time, I sat down on the ground and paused to rest. My legs were aching, and my throat was dry and painful due to the smoke. I slowly closed my eyes. Perhaps it was better if I just died here. At least, I wouldn't be left alone.

"..."

Alone?

That wasn't right. I opened my eyes, and sure enough, I saw it. Her silhoutte against the flames was unmistakable. She had survived? I couldn't believe my eyes! I quickly ran up to her, calling out her name. But she didn't turn around. It almost seemed as if she was busy watching the flames. A bit strange, but that didn't matter. She was alive! I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Flan?"

She turned around and stared at me with blank eyes. Very slowly, she raised her arms and put her soft small fingers upon my neck. And without warning, her grip tightened with incredible strength. My eyes widened in surprise, but I couldn't scream. Struggling was futile as she lifted me up from the ground. I glanced at her and saw that she remained expressionless. Something was very wrong.

I was going to die right now, wasn't I?

Everything around me was starting to grow dark. I closed my eyes. This was the end, probably.

"I won't let you break him!"

A bright red flash. A loud explosion. Suddenly, the pressure on my neck was gone. I felt myself falling down to the ground. But it was strange. Did it really take that long to fall down? I slowly opened my eyes. A familiar face was looking at me from above.

"Moron! Dummy! Blockhead! I told you to escape to safety! You big idiot.. (hic).. you.. why... (sob)...can't even.. (hic).. stupid.. "

'Ah,' I thought, 'This was the Flandre that I knew'. But something wasn't right. I pulled out my handkerchief and gently wiped her face. Tears didn't fit a girl like her.

"Sorry," I said. "But I just had to come back for you."

"Come back for me? Oh wow. I've seen sweet buns with more common sense than you. But still, I don't understand it. This unreasonable feeling. I really don't get it..."

I slowly stood myself up and turned to her. Huh? She became quiet suddenly. Then, without any warning, she grabbed me in a tight embrace.

"I don't get it," she whispered. "But I feel so happy that you came back."

After a moment, I understood and returned the gesture. We stood together like that for what felt like eternity. But it must have only been a short while. Before I realized it, she pushed me away and stepped out in front of me. And I could see why. Three other figures stepped out of the burning mansion, and they had started approaching us. Each of them looked exactly like Flandre, with the exception of one thing. The other three had blank, empty expressions on their faces. I stepped back as I began to understand.

"I thought this might happen," said the Flandre I knew. "So I prepared a special trick for this kind of scenario."

The little sister muttered a few spell commands. In a moment, the Laevateinn materialized in her hands. Unfortunately, I didn't feel much better. The three other copies muttered the same spell commands, and just like her, they now held a copy of the weapon in their hands.

"That didn't seem to help much," I said.

"Don't worry. This one is the original. And besides, it isn't what you are thinking."

Flandre turned around and put the strangely shaped metal wand into my hands. It felt a bit warm to the touch. I looked up at her, confused.

"Hold on to that for me, will you?"

At those words, she turned around and opened her palm toward the other three. Their reaction was immediate. The three copies screamed in rage as they rushed toward her. But it was too late. The little sister smiled darkly as she grasped at something only she could see.

"Kyu!"

The three copies exploded violently in mid-air, leaving only ashes behind. As expected of the little sister! She had ended it almost too quickly. I sighed in relief.

"It's over then," I said.

"..."

Huh? I turned toward Flandre. She wasn't moving.

"Flan?"

"..."

Still no answer. I had the worst feeling, so I immediately ran up to her. And sure enough, I barely caught her as she collapsed.

"Flan!" I cried. "Please tell me you're alright!"

"..."

I don't remember how long I waited. But it must have been a long time. The sun was starting to rise. I had almost given up hope when I suddenly felt her move. Very slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Flandre?"

She blinked a few times when I mentioned that name. Then, she cocked her head and gave me a curious look.

"Who?"

[ ] Fruit Parfait
[ ] Chocolate Cake
[ ] Vanilla Ice Cream

[x] The lake.

My head was spinning violently. Ugh, I hated this feeling. I could never get used to travelling through compressed time-space. It took me a few minutes to reorient myself. Sakuya just smiled as she watched me recover. Yes, I was pretty sure that this was the Sakuya I knew. Only her unique ability could cause such an incredible headache. I had no idea how she ever got used to moving like this.

It seemed like we were standing beside a body of water. I blinked a few times as I recognized this place. The lake was calm and serene. I could see the moon reflect against its surface. It reminded me of something. I closed my eyes. Ah, that was right. I took Flandre out here that evening to watch the stars. It wasn't especially different from any other night. Except for one thing. She said something to me. Something odd.

But I couldn't remember it right now.

"Feeling better?" asked Sakuya.

"A little bit," I managed. "Where are we, anyway?"

"We are near the lake, a good twenty minutes from the mansion. By foot, anyway."

"By foot?"

Sakuya smiled a little wider. I understood immediately.

"I don't suppose that I can ask you to take me back?"

"Sorry, but I must follow Flandre's instructions, now that things have gotten out of hand."

I sighed loudly. Until the very end, I had no idea what the little sister had planned. But it looked like she was prepared for even this possibility. It scared me, how far she would go when she put her mind into something. She may very well be among the most dangerous individuals in Gensokyo.

Damn it, Flan! Your riddles were always impossible to solve. Even now, you left me with another crazy puzzle. I was standing beside someone who I just saw dead not long ago. What was I supposed to think?

"Are you alright?" asked Sakuya. "You've been quiet for some time now."

"Don't worry about it. I was just thinking about some things. Maybe I can figure it all out if I looked back at everything very carefully."

"It might not be proper for me to say this, but don't lose yourself in the past. You still have a long trek back to the mansion, you know?"

"Huh? You aren't going to stop me?"

Sakuya shook her head.

"My purpose is only to delay you," she said.

"I see. What time is it, anyway?"

The head maid took out her pocket watch. Then, her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly hid it from sight, but it was already too late. I just saw something that I shouldn't have.

"Err... sorry," she mumbled. "I can't really see that well in the dark, and -"

"Liar," I whispered.

Now I understood. Elena's instructions. A forbidden spell. And now this. It was starting to make sense. Sakuya opened her mouth to argue, but I was one step ahead of her.

"It's almost 3:00 PM on your pocket watch, isn't it?"

"E-eh? How did you know?"

"Never mind. How much time do you have left before you go back?"

"... about a minute," she whispered.

I sighed with a heavy heart. If my theory was right, there wasn't anything more I could do to help her. It was already too late. But still, I had to say something.

"Sakuya," I said. "Did you hear about that new cake shop in the village?"

"A new cake shop?"

"I heard that it became famous overnight. Why don't we check it out sometime?"

The head maid gave me a warm smile.

"Sure. I'd like that."

Those were her last words before she faded away into the night.

"... thanks a lot, Sakuya."

A single tear rolled down my cheek.

[ ] Head back to the mansion.

[x] The Master's room.

The Master's room was at the second floor, but it was on the other side of the mansion. That was still some distance from where I stood. I ran as fast as I could down the empty hallways, hoping to catch up to Flandre. And when I reached the corner, I stopped. This waking nightmare just kept getting worse.

"What the hell?" I said aloud.

Suddenly, dead fairies everywhere. Over a dozen corpses littered the hallway. I couldn't really tell the exact number. The bodies look like they were ripped apart by wild beasts. Torn limbs and pieces were scattered left and right. There was blood all over the floor. A truly ghastly sight.

There were some burn marks on the walls. It looked like the fairy maids tried to fight back, but this was the sad result. Those creatures were on a completely level. And there was hardly any warning. This was no accident. What kind of monster could have orchestrated this massacre?

I was nearing the end. This was the last time to turn back. But I continued onward anyway. Should I had run? I was no fool. The thought did cross my mind, for a moment. But even if I returned to the village or to the Outside, what was I going to do? There was nothing for me outside these walls. This was my home, and I couldn't bring myself to abandon the others.

When I reached the corner, I saw a familiar girl standing before the door. In her hands was a strangely shaped metal wand. This was one of the most powerful artifacts of the Scarlet family - the Laevateinn.

"I told you not to come here."

"This was all Remilia's doing, wasn't it?"

"My sister is gone. She was gone a long time ago. I just didn't realize it. I just didn't accept it."

Flandre turned to me, a determined look on her face.

"I am the Master now. And all I can do now, with the time left, is to end this with my own hands. Sorry, but you aren't watching this."

"But.. Flan!"

She shook her head and smiled.

"Forgive me. I'll play one of my last tricks now. She will take you somewhere safe."

The vampire girl nodded to someone standing behind me. Someone standing behind me? I quickly turned around. My eyes widened in complete surprise. My heart almost leapt out from my chest. I felt like I had seen a ghost. But wasn't she.. how did... wait, what?

"Time to leave," Sakuya said.

Without another word, the head maid took my hand and stepped forward. My senses were bombarded with a blur of shapes and colors as she used her ability. In an instant, I found myself standing outside, somewhere in the wilderness.

"Sakuya?"

She gave me a nod and a little smile. It was definitely her. Huh? My head was starting to hurt. I had better collect my thoughts. But first, where was I?
[ ] The lake.
[ ] The woods.
[ ] The main path.

[x] "I understand. But I'm going with you anyway."

Flandre opened her mouth to argue, but I was one step ahead of her this time. Before she could speak, I grabbed her hand and pulled her close.

"W-what are you doing, you idio -"

"I know that you are worried," I said. "I'm just an ordinary human. If those things could hurt you, then they could probably rip me apart in an instant. And as long as I'm close by, you can't use your stronger spell cards and attacks. I know that I'm holding you back."

She frowned at me, but she didn't say that I was wrong about any of it. Yes, that was right. There was nothing that the younger sister couldn't defeat on her own. She held back on her attacks because she didn't want to risk me getting hurt. Just like when she was playing danmaku with Sanae.

"But I'm going with you anyway. I know that this isn't the smartest decision right now, and I am well aware of the consequences. Still, I can't let you go off on your own again. Not this time.."

Suddenly, I held her in a tight embrace. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"You aren't alone anymore, Flan!"

I don't remember how long we stood like that. But when I finally pulled myself away, I spied her wiping something from her eyes. She glanced at me and gave me a warm smile. Then, she took my hand as she lead the way inside.

The clock tower was just as I left it. Or so I had first thought. Not one of the cogs were spinning. Not a single gear was turning. None of the mechanical parts were running at all. It felt like someone shut down the very life of the place. A cold shiver ran down my spine.

"Watch yourself," said Flandre.

Her grip steadily tightened as we checked the main chambers. We didn't find anything unusual in the first chamber. It was full of cranks and levers, with a single glass window that gave a view over the machinery below. There were some dust-covered manuals and documents lying around, but the little sister led me out before I could examine them.

The second chamber was some kind of storeroom for spare parts and tools. Flandre walked around for a bit before shaking her head. It seemed like there wasn't anything important in her, either. I swallowed nervously as we entered the third chamber. But we still didn't find anything. This one had a large open space in the center, but it was just as empty.

When we got to the fourth chamber, Flandre paused before the door. This was the last chamber on this side of the clock tower.

"Prepare yourself for the worst," whispered the little sister.

Despite that warning, I could only stare in shock when she opened the door.

The whole chamber was in disarray, as if it had been a battlefield. And in the very center was the bloody remains of someone in a maid uniform. Most of the torso was crushed underneath several giant gears and cogs, and the legs were ripped off from the body. The head, too, was damaged beyond recognition. But those silver braids and the knives she still somehow held in her left hand were unmistakeable.

We had found Sakuya.

Flandre immediately stepped forward to examine the corpse. She was looking for clues, but I saw that she was visibly shaken. I followed after her to help. Then, I noticed it. Eh? That can't be, right! I stepped back nervously. There was another kitchen knife on this body. This time, it was sticking out from her right palm, impaling it to the floor. It looked exactly like the ones in my room and on Koakuma's body. What the hell was going on here?

I turned to the vampire girl. Her eyes were on something else. Near the body was a square engraving on the floor filled with unusual runes. It seemed completely different from the spell circles from before. And from her reaction, Flandre seemed to recognize this one.

"Ah!" said Flandre. "It looks like she was able to finish it!"

"Huh? What does that do?"

"Insurance," she said. "One of her most powerful techniques. A forbidden spell."

The vampire girl turned to me.

"I'm going to end this tonight. Don't follow me, alright?"

Before I could react, she flew off back the way we came. I chased after her, but by the time I reached the mansion proper, she was nowhere in sight.

"Damn it, Flan!"

Where could she have gone?
[ ] My room.
[ ] The library.
[ ] The gardens.
[ ] The basement.
[ ] The dining room.
[ ] The Master's room.

[x] Have Meiling lead.

The gate guard took a moment to check her compass.

"This way!" she cried.

Flandre and I quickly flew after her. The three of us took the oddest route toward the clock tower. We paused at several corners, and we made a number of unexpected turns and detours. I raised an eyebrow at the little sister, but she didn't tell me anything. Instead, she just gave me the strangest smile.

"It's a secret~" said Flandre.

Earlier, Meiling said that she could lead us to the clock tower safely. I had no idea what she meant, but sure enough, we didn't encounter any other strange creatures. In fact, we didn't meet anything else on the way. Or anyone else, for that matter. The mansion almost seemed abandoned. I had a bad feeling about this.

Before I knew it, the three of us reached the rooftop. We fell silent at what we saw. Suddenly, I had the worst feeling. I paused to wipe the dust off my glasses. Maybe I was seeing things? Or at least, I hoped that I was. But when I put them on again, it was still there.

A large circle full of strange symbols was painted upon the main door of the clock tower. Were these magical glyphs? Spell runes, perhaps? I had no idea. But even then, I knew that this was a sign that something had gone terribly wrong. It looked as if the circle was painted using fresh blood.

"Looks like you were right," said Meiling.

"I really wish that I wasn't. But it looks like everything is falling into place according to the scenario."

Flandre sighed sadly.

"Meiling," she said. "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

The gate guard nodded.

"I'll handle it."

"Take care of yourself, Meiling."

The gate guard turned around and started heading back inside the mansion proper. And with that, their conversation was over. I blinked a few times, unsure of what just transpired. Did they just decide on something important? And if so, why didn't they tell me anything? I turned to argue with Flandre, but she was already standing in front of the clock tower entrance. She seemed to be shaking the door's handle with her hands.

"Hey, Flan!" I called. "Is it locked? Maybe we can go back downstairs and look for -"

"BANG!"

"Err... nevermind."

Flandre opened the now 'de-locked' door with ease. I couldn't say that she unlocked it, as there was no longer any lock to be seen. In its place was a large, gaping hole. She turned around to face me, a somber expression on her face.

"Wait out here," she whispered.

She tried to hide it, but I saw that her hands were shaking.
[ ] "I refuse. It is dangerous to wait outside."
[ ] "I understand. But I'm going with you anyway."
[ ] "Are you kidding me? You can't go in there alone!"

[x] We need to move together.

"What's the plan?" I asked. "Where are we going first?"

"The clock tower," Flandre said. "Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"Of course not. How the heck am I supposed to guess? You haven't explained your 'theory' at all."

I stopped and turned around. The younger sister just shook her head.

"This isn't the time. I'll tell you everything later. We need to see if Sakuya is still -"

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. She grabbed me roughly by the collar and threw me to the left. My head slammed hard against the wall. Ugh, that really hurt! What the hell was she doing? My vision was starting to blur, but somehow I managed to look up.

I watched in shock as a great black wolf lunged straight at Flandre. The creature was moving too fast. The little sister cried out in pain as it bit her arm. It lifted up the vampire into the air with its jaws and started to shake her around like a rag doll. After a few seconds, it let go of her arm, throwing her hard against the wall. I felt the ground rumble with the impact.

"Flandre!"

The little sister slowly stood herself up. In response, the shadow wolf howled loudly and rushed toward her again. But she would have none of that. Without warning, she launched herself high into the air. Then, she dove straight at the creature and grabbed its head with her hands. The wolf yelped on last time before its head was slammed straight into the ground. But, Flandre didn't stop there. She raised the creature's head and slammed it repeatedly against the floor until she was sure that it had stopped moving.

After a moment, she stepped back from the corpse. Immediately, the wolf's form started melding into the shadows. I watched until it had faded completely, like a bad dream. But I knew that this was no dream. Flandre was breathing heavily, and the wound on her arm wasn't healing at all. She turned to me and smiled.

"It's just a scratch," she said. "Don't worry about it."

"A scratch? Damn it, Flan! We need to have that wound checked and -"

I didn't have time to finish my sentence. My eyes widened in horror as another wolf creature appeared right behind Flandre. It rushed straight at her and made a great leap into the air with open jaws. At that moment, she must have noticed the expression on my face. The vampire turned around, but it was already too late -

Or so I had thought.

"Sky Dragon Kick!"

A red and green blur collided with the creature in mid-air, sending it flying across the hallway. It slammed hard against the wall. The newcomer then raised her hand and peppered the wolf with danmaku until its form started to collapse. It, too, faded into the shadows.

"Meiling?" I said.

She turned to me and smiled.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Flandre's eyes lit up almost immediately.

"You're alright!" she cried.

Meiling patted the little gently on the head.

"If it weren't for your hints and this thing you gave me, I'd probably be dead by now."

"Ehehehe~"

Hints? What exactly did Flandre do last night? And something she gave her? I glanced at Meiling. The gate guard was holding something in her hand. It looked like a small compass. For some reason, I knew instinctively that this one didn't point north. Noticing my gaze, she smiled.

"So, where are we going next?"

Flandre and I replied in unison.

"The clock tower."

[ ] Have Meiling lead.
[ ] Have Flandre lead.
[ ] Lead the way myself.

I told her everything, from meeting up with Patchouli in the early morning to examining Koakuma's body and the crime scene in the woods. I noted that her eyes narrowed at three key parts of my story. The first was when I mentioned the beast I saw in the clock tower. The second was when I told her Patchouli's last words as I fell unconscious in the library. The third was when I got to the part where Meiling examined the rope hanging from the tree.

"I see," she said.

Flandre closed her eyes as she was thinking. It was odd. This time around, she didn't ask too many questions. For the most part, she was only listening to the details of my story. She didn't even seem surprised when I told her that Koakuma had been killed. Did she already expect such a development? But if she did, why didn't she try to stop it before it happened?

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "This is my fault. I should have figured it out earlier.."

"Flandre? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that my theory was right. I was just too scared to accept it."

The little sister stared at me with damp eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Without warning, she collapsed into my arms.

"I-I should have made my move this morning.. (hic).. if I did, then maybe... (hic).. I could have saved everyone..."

I patted her back encouragingly.

"It'll be alright," I said. "Please don't cry."

She started sobbing more loudly.

"It's too late..(hic).. it's useless to do anything.. (hic).. it's too late now.."

"Don't say that. It's never too late."

Flandre looked up at me angrily.

"And what proof do you have when you say that?" she cried. "I've already seen how this is going to end! From the information we have, there aren't any options left! Everything is going to fall apart like a tower of cards! What's the damn point, eh?"

I paused for a moment. I didn't understand her 'theory', or how she came up with this conclusion. I had no idea what she meant, but even if she probably was right, I couldn't just give up. I slowly wiped her tears away and gave her a small smile.

"Because we're still alive," I said. "Isn't that enough?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. Slowly, she stepped back from me.

"Still... alive?" she repeated.

Flandre turned away so I couldn't see her face. She didn't say anything for the longest time.

I remembered the first time I met her. This girl was surprised when I spoke to her and asked for her name. I remembered the bewildered expression in her face as she tried to remember. 'Flandre', she said. She let me in her room that day, curious to what I was all about. We talked for a while about this and that. She began to smile, little by little.

On a whim, I asked if she could come upstairs with me. The girl immediately refused, of course. She wasn't allowed to go upstairs. This room in the basement was her proper place. Her sister would get angry if she left. No matter what I did or said, she wouldn't come out. Not until I did something that she didn't expect.

My mind returned to the present. The little sister stood before me, her shoulders heavy with the weight of the world. I walked right up to her. Without another word, I took her by the hand and smiled.

"Would you like to come with me upstairs?"

"E-eh?"

"I thought you might enjoy some company," I said. "You look like you could use some fresh air."

Flandre lowered her head. She took a moment to wipe the tears off her face. Then, she managed to smile back at me. She tightened her grip on my hand as she spoke.

"I'd like that," she whispered.

With renewed determination, the two of us headed back upstairs.
[ ] Let her lead the way.
[ ] Have her follow you.
[ ] We need to move together.

[x] Look for Flandre.

The hallways were quiet. I didn't meet any of the mansion staff on the way there. Not a single fairy maid was within sight. It felt like the place had been abandoned. The halls were silent. I could only hear my footsteps and my own breathing. Was it my imagination, or did the atmosphere suddenly feel heavier? The mansion felt a lot larger when I was walking alone, all by myself.

I glanced behind me several times. Somehow, I felt like someone was following me. I couldn't hear their footsteps. It wasn't one of the fairy maids. I couldn't hear their breathing. It didn't feel like Sakuya. I couldn't hear anything behind me. But from the corner of my eye, I could spy its shadow. There was something there.

"Be careful when you walk around alone, alright?"

When I reached the corner, I broke out into a run. I made a mad dash down the stairway leading to the basement. Someone was behind me. Or something. I didn't look back to check. I had the worst feeling that if I did, it would walk right into a dead end. And I didn't feel like dying just yet.

At the bottom of the steps, I paused for a minute to catch my breath. Finally, I took a glance behind me. There was nothing there. I sighed in relief. My imagination or not, I didn't feel like taking any chances under these circumstances. Gensokyo wasn't forgiving to such foolishness. I learned that a long time ago.

I turned around and raised a hand to knock upon the door to Flandre's room. But before I could make a sound, I heard a voice from inside.

"Come inside."

When I stepped into the room, the first thing I saw was Flandre. I stood there, mouth agape. She was standing in front of her closet with a hand on her chin. It seemed like she was picking out something to wear. Oh right. Did I mention that the little sister was wearing nothing but a white nightie?

She still had her hair down, and her evening wear did little to hide her developing curves. Her bare arms and shoulders were exposed, and there was no sign of her injury from this morning. Through the transparent fabric, I could see that she was wearing pink panties. Thankfully, the many frills of the nightie managed to cover her meager chest. My eyes immediately burned the image to long-term memory (fucking saved). Wait a second. What was I doing? This wasn't the time for this shit!

It looked like she just woke up. Flandre yawned before glancing at me. She had a cute, sleepy expression on her face. It seemed like she hadn't fully realized that I had walked in on her.

[ ] Turn around and wait till she is dressed.
[ ] Politely excuse myself and leave.
[ ] A little vampire girl is fi -

"What are you doing?" Flandre asked. "Don't just stand there, you dummy! Close the door behind you."

Huh? In the end, it was the little sister who moved first. I obediently did as she told me and closed the door. It seemed like she had already understood the situation. I glanced at her. A sly smile formed on her lips as she spoke.

"Now face the other way."

She said this very quietly. I turned around as requested. Then, I suddenly heard the rustling of clothes from behind me. Was she changing clothes? But why did I hear more things falling to the floor? I swallowed nervously. No way, she couldn't be thinking of...

"Close your eyes."

She spoke even more softly, and I became fully aware that she was right beside me now. I closed my eyes. Then, I heard her soft footsteps. Flandre must be standing right in front of me.

"Sorry for making you wait,"

Her voice was just a whisper now. And at that moment, I felt something soft and furry touch my lips.

"..."

Furry!? Wait, what?

I felt it immediately. Something was very wrong. I opened my eyes. Sure enough, Flandre was standing in front of me, fully clothed and giggling. In her hands was a large teddy bear. I could feel myself turning bright red.

"Knock it off, Flan!"

With those words, she broke out into loud laughter. I took a seat and closed my eyes to calm myself down. It took several minutes for us to recover, Flandre from her amusement and myself from embarrassment. When I was sure that I wasn't blushing anymore I turned around and cleared my throat. Sensing the change in atmosphere, the little sister gave me a quick nod.

"Now, tell me what happened today."

[x] Visit the gardens. Meiling was the first witness.

"Was it really suicide?" I asked.

Meiling nodded.

"It looks like it. You should see for yourself."

The gate guard slowly led me into the woods. Before I followed, I turned to Elena. The fairy maid gave me a quick nod to show that she understood. I smiled a little, despite myself. She really was at a different tier from the other fairies. Even without words, she knew what I wanted to say.

"I'll be waiting, Master."

Meiling and I walked for several minutes. The woods near the mansion were too quiet. I had a bad feeling about it. Normally, there would be fairies and youkai wandering around. Some would follow travellers and play pranks, while others would be found challenging each other to danmaku duels. For the most part, they were relatively harmless. At least during the day.

As we headed deeper into the woods, I started feeling nervous. We hadn't encountered anyone else, and the silence felt heavy. But I didn't feel anyone watching us from the shadows. In fact, I was sure that we were alone. This place felt empty and abandoned. I glanced at Meiling.

"Don't worry," she said. "We are almost there."

We got to a small clearing a few minutes later. Two things immediately caught my eye. One was a large tree at the center with a long length of rope tied to one of its branches. The rope was tied in the fashion of a hangman's noose. The other was the body. It was laid beside the tree with a white sheet on top. There was something odd about it.

"Can I take a closer look?"

"Go ahead."

Meiling didn't follow as I approached the scene. My hands shaked as I reached out toward the end of the sheet. I swallowed nervously. In one quick movement, I pulled it away. I stepped back in shock. It was a ghastly sight.

There were rope marks around her neck, and it looked like it was twisted badly. I had no doubt that Koakuma was hanging from the nearby tree for quite some time. But that wasn't all. Something was sticking out of her left eye. I felt sick as I recognized the object. It looked exactly like one of the kitchen knives that disappeared from my room.

"No way..."

I turned back to Meiling. She looked just as surprised as I was. It didn't take me long to guess the reason.

"Was the knife there when you first found the body?"

She shook her head.

"Of course not! I only took her down from the tree! I couldn't just leave her like that!"

I stared at her closely. It didn't look like she was lying. The tree? I stood up and glanced up at the rope. Eh? I didn't notice it before, but now that I was standing closer, I recognized it. The rope looked exactly like the one used to bind Cirno. My eyes narrowed. This was too much of a coincidence. I quickly turned back to Meiling.

"Did you feel anything strange about this rope?"

"That rope?" she said. "Ah! Now that I think about it, it did feel a bit odd. Let me check again to be sure."

She hovered a few feet above the ground to hold the rope in her hands. Then, she closed her eyes and started muttering a spell under her breath. It shone brightly for a few seconds before returning to normal. She turned around and nodded.

"I'm sure now. This rope contains powerful anti-magic energies. It can probably seal away the abilities of most magicial beings."

"Like Koakuma?"

Meiling nodded slowly. I knew it. This was the same rope. Or the same type of rope, at least. This was no suicide.

This was a murder.

"Let's head back," I said. "We had better let the others know."

It was almost 6:00 PM when we got back. Meiling said that she was going to report to Sakuya first, so she left me by the front gate of the mansion. I was about to go inside when I noticed another strange thing. I turned around. There wasn't anyone else nearby. Huh?

Where did Elena disappear to?
[ ] Look for Remilia.
[ ] Look for Flandre.
[ ] Look for Patchouli.