[x] The main path.

Torch in hand, I limped up the main path toward the Human Village. I didn't understand it. No, I didn't even want to think about it. This was too much to take in, and it happened too quickly. My head ached. My heart ached. I was tired. I wanted to go home. But there was no longer any 'home' to return to.

A nightmare. This was just a nightmare, wasn't it? That was the most reasonable conclusion I could come up with. If I just waited it out, I would wake up and find that this was all just a horrible nightmare. I would hear a knock upon my door, and then I'd hear Sakuya tell me that breakfast was ready. Then, I would frown as Remilia explained her next ridiculous scheme at the dining table. Meiling and I would groan in unison as we started searching for an artifact, creature, or place that didn't exist in Gensokyo (this would typically take up most of the day). After I had returned, Koakuma would come and invite me to have tea at the library. I'd spend the rest of the afternoon reading quietly, with Patchouli sitting across me doing the same. At some random point during the day, Flandre would tackle me to the ground and force me to join one of her new 'games' (while less time-consuming than Remilia's tasks, these tended to be far more painful). And when the day was finally over, I'd pass out on my bed, still in my clothes, and start dreaming happily about some vivid sexual fantasy.

If this was all a dream, of course.

The pain from my leg told me otherwise. Sick and twisted as it was, this seemed like reality. And now, my last hope would be to reach the village and get help. Keine was my closest friend outside of the mansion. I only prayed that I could get there in time. Speaking of time, I took a glance at my watch. Only a little longer until morning. Soon the sun should rise, driving away most of the lesser youkai. After a few more minutes, I'd have little to worry about the wild creatures of Gensokyo.

Or so I had thought.

As the minutes passed, I found that it was actually getting darker. I glanced at my torch. It was still burning the same size, but the area it lit was shrinking. Then, in my other hand, I held.. nothing? Oh yeah, I must have dropped the candlestick somewhere back at the mansion. But that wasn't the worst of my luck. I stopped walking and waited. The visible area around me continued to shrink.

Damn! This was the worst time to meet up with this girl.

"Rumia!" I cried out. "I know that you're out there!"

The darkness continued to creep closer. My torch was useless against her ability.

"I don't have time for your games! I need to get to the village!"

No answer. A felt a chill. This wasn't like her.

"Rumia..?"

Silence. Then, I heard finally heard her voice.

"..ove you," it said.

"H-huh?"

Then I felt it. Someone was feeling up my thighs. Two small, child-sized hands were rubbing them up and down excitedly. I tried to step away, but I couldn't move. Then, I tried to push her away, but my arms were immobile as well. Huh? My mind was spinning as I could feel her fingers move closer and closer to my crotch. Why was Rumia doing this? Why now, of all times? And why the hell couldn't I move my body?

"I love you," said the voice. I was sure it was Rumia this time.

I slowly lowered my head, and surely, her sillhoutte was before me, caressing my lower body. Despite this ridiculous situation, I couldn't help but get a little excited. But 'love' me? Wasn't she misunderstanding something? And if she didn't stop soon, her fingers would soon reach my...

"Stop!" I cried out. "T-This isn't right?"

At those words, her hands pulled away. I blinked. I couldn't even see her sillhoutte now. I could feel the torch in my hand, but my eyes were completely blinded.

"I love you," she said again.

"R-Rumia?"

"I love you, and that's why.."

I felt something wet drip down my chest. Huh? It wasn't raining, though. I glanced down to check, but I couldn't see a thing. Still, I could feel something drip down my chest and legs.

"That's why this is mine~" said the voice happily.

A thin light began to penetrate the darkness. Was the sun rising? Well, that was good. My eyes were starting to adjust, and I could start to see around me.

"Huh? What are you talking abou -"

Rumia stood in front of me, smiling. She was holding something in her hands. Something moving and covered in blood. I watched as it throbbed, as if it was alive. Several strange tubes were poking out of it. Hey wait.. those tubes were connected to my..

"Hee hee," she said playfully. "I finally stole away your heart~"

My eyes widened in horror. But I couldn't scream. I couldn't move. I couldn't even understand how I was still alive. I turned to the youkai girl, who seemed as happy as could be.

"Rumia..?"

"I love you," she said. "We'll be together in this darkness, forever and ever~"

I saw no malice in her eyes. In fact, I was sure that she wasn't going to kill me. I didn't understand how, but I knew that she was keeping me alive with her power. Though the way she caressed my still-beating heart was very much unnerving.

What scared me the most were the words she said next.

"By the way, who is this Rumia? Is she anyone we know?"

Indeed, some things were worse than death.



FIRST END


.


..


...



[ ] Regret.
[ ] Anguish.
[ ] Despair.

[x] Sakuya

The chief maid landed a few feet away. She had the strangest expression as she stared at me. It was as if she couldn't see very clearly. Or perhaps, she was looking for something? I couldn't really tell. Her next words were just as cryptic.

"You are alive?" she asked.

I nodded carefully. Why would she ask such a question? I had a really bad feeling about this. But before I could say anything, she vanished. Then, she reappeared right in front of me. She was holding something in her hand. Or she was, at least. That 'something' was now stuck to my left leg. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that it was a knife. Yep, it sure looked like it.

The chief maid had just stabbed my leg with a knife.

"Aaaaaarrrggggh!"

I dropped everything and crumpled down on the ground. The wound was deep, and blood had started to seep through my pants. I glanced at chief maid. She was watching my leg very carefully. Then, after a few seconds, she knelt down and put her hand on the knife.

"Huh? W-wait, what are you going to -"

In one swift movement, she pulled the knife out. I cried out loudly in pain. Angry and confused, I grabbed her by the collar and screamed.

"What the.. what in the hell are you doing, Sakuya?"

She stared at me blankly for several seconds. Then, as if she finally recognized me, color returned to her eyes and face. I saw something glint at the side of her eye. And, without warning, she grabbed me in a tight embrace.

"It's really you!" she whispered. "Alive! You're still alive!"

"Sa... Sakuya?... m-my leg..."

"Ah! S-Sorry about that!"

She lent her shoulder as I stood myself up. I glanced at her questioningly. Sakuya shook her head.

"There's no time," she said as she handed me the torch.

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

"Sakuya?"

She gave me a tender smile before she spoke.

"If we meet again," she said. "I'd really like to try that new cake shop in the village."

With those parting words, Sakuya vanished.

I never saw her again.

[ ] The lake.
[ ] The woods.
[ ] The main path.

[x] I must make sure that she isn't an impostor.
[x] I must tell her about Patchouli.

"Anyway," I said. "Where were you when the lights went out?"

"Eh? Ah! Well.. t-that is.."

Koakuma lowered her head and started twiddling her thumbs. She didn't look at me straight in the eye as she spoke.

"Research," she said. "T-That's right! I was doing some research in the lower library! Now forget about that for a second! You really should get rid of that thing! You might hurt yourself and -"

"Oh really," I whispered. She was hiding something. Hardly anyone went down to the lower library besides Patchouli herself. I remember the magician warn me that the seals on some of the books down there had started to weaken, so I shouldn't even think of wandering there alone. I took a step forward, the candlestick in hand.

"And what were you doing down there, I wonder.."

"A-Ah! Well, t-that is... you know.. a secret..."

She was visibly shaken now, and I could see her sweat. Her face started turning a light shade of pink, as well. Yes, she was lying about something. I raised the candlestick as I took another step.

"W-wait! W-what are you doing with that? D-don't -"

Koakuma raised her other hand to stop me. But that was a mistake. I quickly tapped the end of her fingertips with the side of the candlestick. She yelped in pain and jumped back. It was just as I suspected. Or was it..?

"Idiot," she whispered. She looked up at me, teary-eyed and angry.

"I see that silver burns to the touch," I said.

"Of course it burns!" cried Koakuma. "I'm a demon! W-what the hell were you thinking? Have you gone insane?"

Huh? Wait a second. That made complete sense, didn't it? But..

"Then why were you sneaking about down at the lower library?"

Koakuma stared at me for a few moments, a trickle of tears dripping down her cheeks. Then, she pulled out something from her pocket and held it up toward me. It was a small book that read, 'Fine English Tea, 1852'.

"I thought that I could try making something special for you," she said slowly. "But I think that I just changed my mind."

She narrowed her eyes at me. I've never seen her so angry before.

"Miss Patchouli shall be the first to taste this blend, you damn idiot!"

My head started to ache again. From the sound of it, this was the real Koakuma. Except for one thing. Didn't she know that Patchouli was dead?

"Eh?"

Koakuma stared at me in surprise.

"W-what did you say just now?"

Clearly, from her reaction, I just said that last part aloud. Wait a minute. Koakuma didn't know? I couldn't look her in the eyes as I spoke.

"She's dead," I said carefully. "She's been murdered in her room. Didn't you know?"

Silence. Then, when I had thought that she was still in shock, it happened. She swiftly stepped forward and slapped me in the face. I stared back at her, dumbfounded.

"Liar!" she cried. "You're lying! What kind of sick joke are you trying to pull! I can't believe that I actually thought that you were different.."

"Wait, let me explain!"

"You horrible psychopath! I'll make sure that Miss Patchouli gets you kicked out of the mansion before morning!"

Before I could say anything else, Koakuma flew off into the darkness. I tried chasing after her, but my legs couldn't keep up. And no matter how much I cried out her name, she never turned back. Soon, I was alone once more. Having an extra torch was little consolation.

My mind was a mess. I started walking, letting my legs decide the direction. It was a long, deathly silent journey. I don't really know how long I was walking, but somehow, I found myself out of the library. As I closed the door behind me, I observed that the rest of the mansion lights were lit. But that wasn't enough to raise my spirits. Huh? There was something! I paused for a moment, then turned my head. It was no mistake. Someone was flying this way.

[ ] Flandre
[ ] Sakuya
[ ] Meiling

[x] Search for Koakuma.

I took the candlestick in my hands and began walking forward. Koakuma's voice came from this direction, didn't it? In this darkness, I could only see a few feet ahead of me. Was I in the east portion, or the west? Couldn't really tell anymore. I didn't bother reading the titles of the books around me. I just kept walking, hoping that I would hear her voice one more time.

The silence was dreadful. I could only hear my own footsteps. They echoed hauntingly along the tall shelves. At each corner, I slowed down and sneaked by as best as I could, hoping that I wouldn't meet anything dangerous. I thought about turning back several times. If I couldn't find her, I could very well end up lost in this labyrinth of books. Or worse. I could be found by a -

"Miss Patchouli!"

That voice! I was sure that it was her. It wasn't my mind playing tricks. I quickly took a deep breath before calling out.

"Koakuma! Is that you?"

"Ah!" she cried back. "I'll be right there! Don't move!"

She must have recognized my voice. I glanced in front of me, and then behind. There was no sign of any footsteps. That left only one other direction. I looked up and stared deep into the darkness. Just as I expected, something bright was approaching. A vaguely humanoid shape holding two bright lights. I waved my candlestick a few times to signal to her.

"Here," Koakuma said. "Take this torch. It burns much brighter than your candle."

I thankfully accepted it. This illuminated a larger area, and I felt a little more at ease. In a pinch, I could probably use it as a weapon, too. I turned to her. She had an unusually serious expression upon her face.

"Are you alright?" I asked. "What's going on here? Where did you come from?"

She paused for a moment, then shook her head.

"The flow of magic has been disrupted," she said. "As you can see, the library lights have all gone out."

Flow of magic? What the hell was she talking about? Didn't she know that Patchouli was -

"Ah! W-Where did you get that?"

"Huh? This?"

I raised the candlestick toward her. Her eyes widened a bit.

"W-Why don't you get rid of that thing? The torch should be more than enough for light.."

My grip tightened instinctually. I'm not sure why, but leaving this thing behind seemed like a really bad idea. There wasn't any real reason to drop it, too, other than to run more quickly.

"I'm fine with it," I managed. "Anyway..."

[ ] I must tell her about Patchouli.
[ ] I must ask her to lead me to the exit.
[ ] I must make sure that she isn't an impostor.

[x] Step inside and investigate.

Something had gone terribly wrong. I didn't need the heightened senses of a magic user or youkai hunter to realize that. And that was what scared me. If even an ordinary human could sense this danger, then the most reasonable thing to do would be to flee. Yes, that was what I felt. My instinct to survive told me to run. There was no way I could confront this thing. It was much worse than the time Remilia stared me down with her crimson eyes. This feeling warned of certain death.

Yet, I couldn't. Despite this feeling, I couldn't just run away. My friend was in there. My friend who would listen to my ramblings and complaints, despite pretending to be busy with her books. My friend who would have Koakuma prepare tea even when I visited unannounced. My friend who tried to teach me magic, even if she knew that I couldn't manage even a spark without matches. My friend who, for the first time, didn't answer when I called out to her.

I tightened my grip on the candlestick as I stepped inside. The room was pitch black and silent. There wasn't any sign of movement. I glanced to the right. Patchouli's study desk was covered with a number of books, and her personal shelves were neatly kept, as was usual. Then, I checked the other side. The door to her bedchamber was open. I slowly crept toward it, walking as silently as I possibly could.

"Huh?"

I stopped. A dripping sound? I turned toward the source. There was something in the shadows. No, it was someone. Wait, could it be? I sighed in relief when I recognized her sillhoutte. Patchouli was sitting in her favorite reading chair, a book in her hands.

"Whew, you scared me back there," I said. "I thought for a moment that something happened to you. Heh, as if that could ever happen.."

Still no answer. I paused. She didn't even move when I spoke. Now that was a bit rude, even for her.

"Hey, Patchouli, could you at least answer when I call -"

The light from my candlestick shone over her. My eyes widened at the gruesome sight. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. I couldn't believe this could happen. I only stared in shock.

A large knife was stuck to her chest. Her clothes were painted a ghastly red with her blood. But that wasn't the worst of it. Her hands had been sewn to her book so she could still hold it. Blood trickled out of stitches. And her eyes.. they were wide open and full of terror. Yet, I could see that she couldn't even scream if she had wanted. Her lips were stitched closed, and her neck had been sliced open. A steady trickle of blood dripped down to the floor.

I didn't know how long I stood there, but when I finally recovered from the shock, I ran out of the room and sprinted through the library. I didn't care where I was going. I just ran. And ran. Until my legs couldn't take the pain any more. Until my lungs tightened in pain.

Putting down the candlestick, which had managed to stay lit somehow, I paused to catch my breath. No, that wasn't it. I couldn't hold it anymore. I knelt down and threw up unceremoniously on the floor. Tears ran down my cheeks in torrents. I started sobbing. I didn't care anymore. This was too much! I.. I couldn't take much more of this!

I speak no evil

I remembered those words. This.. was it all my fault? Did I..

"..li."

That voice! I wiped off my mouth with my sleeve and quickly stood myself up. It was faint, but the voice sounded like Koakuma. Was she wandering around the library in this darkness? No, wait. Was it really her?

My legs feel exhausted, but I think I can walk a bit.

[ ] Search for Koakuma.
[ ] Return to Patchouli's room.
[ ] Make my way to the library exit.

[x] Look for Patchouli.

If there was someone who knew what was going on, it would have to be Patchouli. This library was completely under her influence, after all. And I knew that it wasn't limited to the protective spells placed upon the books. This place had a completely different atmosphere from the rest of the mansion. It somehow felt out of place, as if it was added to the mansion after it was built. Or perhaps, the rest of the mansion was added to the library? Whatever the case, she was probably already aware of the problem with the lights. If anything else, I just wanted to make sure that everything was alright.

I've only been in her room a few times, but I still remembered where it was. Koakuma said that only those who were invited could find the entrance. And now that I thought about it, it was only after the first time Patchouli let me in that I even noticed this path among the shelves. Partially hidden among the books of the upper library was a simple, unmarked door.

Except this time, it wasn't unmarked.

I gawked at it for a few seconds. Did I take a wrong step somewhere? No, this was definitely the way to her room. The reading desk and chair nearby were definitely hers. I didn't know how it happened, but there was a large circle of glyphs painted upon the door. I couldn't recognize the strange symbols, but it alarmed me all the same for another reason. The color reminded me of dried blood.

"Patchouli?" I called out. "Are you in there?"

No answer. I quickly ran up to the door and tried the handle. It was locked. Huh? Wait a second. I've never found her door locked before. And these markings on the door gave me a really bad feeling. I started banging loudly on the door.

"Hey! Are you alright? It's me! Call back if you can hear me!"

Still no answer. I started kicking the door, but it wouldn't budge at all. Damn! I quickly looked around for something I could use. Ah! That could work! I ran back to Patchouli's reading desk and took the candlestick that rested upon it. The weight of this thing gave me a bit of reassurance. Seemed like it was made of pure silver. With this thing in hand, I ran back towards the door and prepared to swing -

"FZZT!"

Suddenly, the lights went completely out. Darkness everywhere. I barely stood my ground. Something was definitely wrong. Calm down. First, I need to find Patchouli. I quickly checked my jacket pockets. I had a box of matches in here, somewhere.. ah! I knelt down and struck a match against the floor to light the candlestick. It wasn't much, but with this, I could see a few feet around me. I pocketed the matches and turned back toward the door to Patchouli's room.

"Huh? What the.."

The circle of symbols was gone. I couldn't see any trace of it. Not a single mark. But that wasn't all. A chill ran down my spine when I saw it.

The door was already half-open.

[ ] Call out for Koakuma.
[ ] Try to find the library exit.
[ ] Step inside and investigate.

[x] I speak no evil.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of a narrow aisle. To my left and to my right were tall shelves, and thousands upon thousands of books. Huh? I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. No, this didn't seem like a dream. But when did I get to the Voile library?

Several glowing lamp lights illuminated the area, but not a soul was within sight. Well, I wouldn't expect to meet anyone here besides Patchouli and her familiar. The fairy maid staff were only brought in for cleaning duties, and not without supervision. For the most part, they only came to help when Marisa or some other visitor trashed the library. On regular days, the place was very quiet. And this late at night, the silence felt a little more intimidating. Speaking of late, what time was it, anyway?

The lights flickered a little as I took a glance at my watch. Huh? That was strange.

13:00 MN

I rubbed my eyes for a moment. That didn't look right. I took another look at the time.

1:00 AM

Hmm (what was that about?). Nah, couldn't be. In any case, it was already late. Perhaps I should head back to my room. Sakuya will definitely scold me if I miss breakfast, and if Remilia finds out, she might have me go through one of her 'punishment games' again. Ugh.

The lights flickered again. Which was strange, since the mansion didn't use electricity (or at least, not in the traditional way). Patchouli explained it to me once before. They channel some magical energies from the surrounding lake to power the lights and heating of the mansion. I didn't understand the technical details, but I suppose that it was similar to generating solar or hydroelectric power. Except with magic.

I started walking towards the exit. The Voile library wasn't such a maze anymore. Not to me, at least. I did spend a number of lazy afternoons just wandering around and reading here. The layout was actually simpler than most think. If you just observe the different -

"Fzzt!"

I stopped in my tracks. There it was again. The lights flickered, and much more violently this time. It almost felt like they were going to go out. This was strange. Late or not, I should let Patchouli or Koakuma know. They might have a better idea of what's causing this.

[ ] Look for Koakuma.
[ ] Look for Patchouli.
[ ] Leave the library.

I sipped my tea slowly, savoring the flavor. The blend was more than satisfactory. In fact, when it came to preparing tea, not even Sakuya could compare to this girl. Of course, I had made it a point never to mention that to the chief maid. Nor have I mentioned it to the girl herself, but for a different reason.

"H-How is it?" Koakuma asked.

I put down the cup and gave her a gentle smile.

"The tea is just right," I said. "The best cup I've had this week, in fact."

She shook her head and frowned.

"Not that!" she cried. "Are you sure that you're okay?"

"It's nothing, so please forget about it. And don't tell Patchouli about this."

Koakuma opened her mouth to argue, but I shook my head and gave her a stern look. I was serious about this. In no way should anyone hear of what just happened. I glared at her until she finally nodded.

"As long as you understand," I said. "Then things will be fine. But besides that, I'd like to ask you a few things. In these circumstances, we need to be perfectly clear on our understanding of these events. Even the slightest misconception could disturb the balance, you see.."

I took a biscuit from the tray and took a bite. Koakuma's wings drooped a bit, but she stayed silent.

"I want to know why you were following me. That hall was much too far from the Voile library. And I know that most of the rooms there were sealed."

"Ah! T-that is.. umm..."

She averted her eyes, unsure of what to say.

"You can tell me the truth," I said. "I'll always be here to listen."

A moment of silence passed. She fiddled with her fingers uneasily, but she managed to speak.

"M-Miss Patchouli sent me," she whispered. "She was worried that you hadn't had dinner, so she asked me to find you. But when I did, you seemed to be in deep thought. I couldn't find it in my heart to call out to you. So, in the end I.."

I planted my palm upon my face. So that was it, then. If she didn't have any bad intention, then I guess I could let her off this time.

"I got it. Just make sure that no one else knows about this."

She nodded solemnly. I watched her every move as she took the tray out of my room. Then, right before she closed the door, she gave me a very polite smile.

"Just so you know," she said. "I-I don't think that you screamed that loudly. And I thought that you were kinda cute, so don't lose sleep over it, alright?"

"G-Get out!" I cried, finally losing my temper.

Ugh. That was a horrible way to end the evening. Before I realized it, I had already collapsed on my bed. Didn't even bother to change clothes. And as sleep began to creep in, I thought I heard a voice.
[ ] I see no evil.
[ ] I hear no evil.
[ ] I speak no evil.

[x] Wander around the mansion.

Before I knew it, I found myself wandering around the mansion. The place was a lot bigger than it looked from the outside, and an ordinary person (such as myself) could easily get lost in it. Well, I've actually gotten lost here before, and more than once. Thankfully, it never ended in anything worse than losing consciousness.

From what I've observed, there are at least a hundred different rooms in total, with varying sizes and purposes. Remilia said that a large portion of the mansion wasn't being used nowadays, so she had the staff lock and seal a number of rooms. She said that she didn't want even a single speck of dust to get in those places, as she might use them in the future.

That said, the hall I was walking along was one of those unused areas. The fairy maids seldom visited this side of the mansion, so I shouldn't have to worry about Sakuya finding me out. Not tonight, at least. She'll probably find out by morning. I'll just have to think of a good excuse by then. Yes, I was quite sure that this wasn't part of Sakuya's usual patrol route.

Why was it then, did I feel like I was being followed?

I forced myself to stay calm. There wasn't anyone in front of me, but from the side of my eye, I'm sure I saw something move. My footsteps echoed loudly against the walls, and I heard nothing else. But I could feel it. Someone was watching me from behind.

Someone was watching.

It took all of my willpower to stop myself from breaking out into a run. 'Just a little more,' I told myself. There was a corner coming up, and I'd have a chance against my pursuer. Not a very good chance, I admit, but it was better than nothing.

As I turned right at the corner, I saw it. Lucky break! There was an alcove behind a weapons display case. I quickly sneaked into it and hid myself as best as I could in the shadows. Then, I checked the hallway. No one else was there. Not yet, anyway.

I don't remember how long I waited. Cold sweat had started dripping down my forehead. Something was wrong. No one was coming. I was sure now. There wasn't anyone in the hall I just came from. Yet, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my head. I closed my eyes to focus. There was something else, wasn't there? Then, I realized it.

This was a mistake.

I couldn't move. I was completely sure now.

Someone was standing right behind me.

My eyes widened in horror as I felt someone hold my shoulder..

[x] Try solving the other Rubik's cube.

I took the 3-D puzzle cube in my hands and glanced at Flandre. She didn't show any reaction. I was surprised at how focused she seemed at solving her puzzle. Most of the time, she'd only spend a few seconds with a toy before losing interest. But this time, she had practically lost all awareness of her surroundings. Was she really just a kid? What was her criteria for 'interesting', anyway? And why did she continue moving her legs like that, flashing her panties from a number different angles?

Well, this wasn't anything new. Despite my familiarity with the mansion inhabitants, I could never quite place this girl's eccentricities. From what Patchouli told me, it was only recently that the little sister was allowed to leave the basement, and only from time to time. Her true power was said to be monstrous even among the other great powers of Gensokyo. The story was hard to believe, when I first heard it. Even now, when I looked at her, all I saw was Remilia's strange and somewhat sweet younger sister. At least, when she wasn't frustrated or angry.

"Mind if I take a seat?," I asked. Flandre didn't say anything as I sat on the other side of the bed. She just continued twisting and turning the cube puzzle in her hands.

I turned my head away from her to examine my own Rubik's cube (damn those deliciously distracting legs!). The six colors somehow reminded me of those odd gems Flandre had on her 'wings'. Well, they looked more like wings than anything else I've seen. Don't ask me what those really were, or what their purpose was. I was no expert on that sort of thing.

"Hmm," I said aloud. I examined the toy for a few seconds. What exactly did she find so interesting about this thing, anyway?

Twist. Click. Twist. Click. Twist. Click. I stared at it carefully, but it didn't seem any different from how it started - just more confusing. Well, maybe there was a little difference, I noted. Twist. Click. Twist. Click. Hmm, did I do something wrong back there? Well, never mind. Twist. Click. Twist. Click. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Almost got one side complete now. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Huh? What was that? Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Something else was clicking in time to my movements. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Ah, it must be Flandre. Twist. Twist. Click. Click. Well, I guess that this is a good rythm to work with. Twist. Twist. Click. Click...

I didn't really realize how much time had passed until much later. But that feeling of achievement when I finally got it right would be so worth it. I wiped off a bit of sweat on my forehead as I finished the last few moves. Three more. Two more. Almost there.. and finally -

"I got it!" I cried aloud. Huh? Why did I hear two voices, just now.

I turned to Flandre. She had finished her puzzle at roughly the same time I did. Her eyes were on me, as if she just noticed that I was in the room with her. Then, she stared down at the cube in my hands.

"Oh," she said. She stood from her bed and walked up to me. Without a word, she took my completed puzzle and examined it. I didn't say anything as I watched her look from her cube to mine, and back again, several times.

"Flan?"

"Ah!"

She jumped a bit at the sound of my voice. Her cheeks seemed a little flushed and she kept glancing away from my eyes. She opened her mouth a bit, as if to say something, but I couldn't hear her words. After about a minute, she just turned around, and put down the completed puzzles on her desk, side by side. She didn't face me again, so I didn't see her face when she finally spoke.

"Thanks for visiting," she said, her voice but a whisper.

"Don't mention it," I replied. I stood up and took a single step toward her.

"A-Ah!," she cried out. Her voice was wavering. "Don't come any closer! Just stay where you are! I-It's embarrassing!"

"Huh? What is?"

An awkward moment of silence. Then, she turned around and gave me an exasperated look. I gave her an honest look back, saying silently that "I didn't get it". Flandre sighed and folded her arms.

"Of course you don't get it, you stupid sweet bun head!"

Before I knew it, she was pushing and shoving me out of her room. I couldn't resist even if I tried, and a few seconds later, I found myself alone near the staircase I came down from.

"What was that all about," I asked myself. Well, it didn't end in any injuries, so I guess it was fine. I glanced at my watch. Oh damn! That wasn't fine at all. Looks like I just missed dinner. Again. Well, I had better think of a good excuse before I bumped into Remilia or Sakuya. But since I didn't have one right now, I should avoid the dining room.

To kill some time, I decided to..
[ ] Take a walk along the grounds.
[ ] Wander around the mansion.
[ ] Head straight to my room.

"I heard you visited the village this afternoon," said Flandre.

"That's right. How did you know?"

She knelt on all fours as she searched for something. I waited patiently for her to find it. After all, I didn't really mind the pleasant view that she happened to present as she crawled under her bed. Strawberry patterned? I hadn't seen those before. Gotta save that image in HD quality for future reference.

"Ah, here they are."

Flandre stood up and dusted her skirt. In her hands was a cube-shaped toy that came from the Outside.

"I didn't know that you were into puzzles now."

"Sometimes," she said. "Saw this in one of Patchy's books before, so I thought it might be interesting."

Flandre sat on the bed and started working to solve the 3-D puzzle cube. She said nothing else to me as she twisted and turned the device. Her eyes were completely on the toy now, and she had an unusually serious expression on her face. I immediately understood that it might be a little dangerous to interrupt her.

I sighed quietly to myself as I glanced around the room. She kept the place relatively neat nowadays, with only a few books and toys lying around on the floor. The shelf in the corner had more books now, presumably from the Voile library. And upon her desk was something that caught my eye.

Another Rubik's cube puzzle.

[ ] Just sit and watch her quietly.
[ ] Try solving the other Rubik's cube.
[ ] See if she borrowed any interesting books.
[ ] Excuse yourself and leave.

[x] Flandre

The moment I took that last step down the spiraling staircase, a shiver suddenly ran down my spine. I glanced to the left, and then to the right. Nothing was moving. At least, I didn't see anything move. But in this poorly lit basement, I couldn't really see that much. For some reason, I always felt uneasy each time I went down here. And I knew very well that it wasn't my imagination.

"Flan?" I called out. I slowly felt my way toward her room. There was a weak glow of light coming from inside, so she would probably be busying herself with -

"BANG!"

Ugh, damn it all! I stepped back and rubbed my head. That was careless, walking into something hung from the ceiling. I squinted to see what it was, but after a while, I had to give up. I really couldn't see much in this damned darkness.

"Let's wait till my eyes adjust," I mumbled. As was my habit to calm myself, I carefully took off my silver-rimmed glasses and started to polish them. I couldn't see much of anything without wearing these when I was upstairs or outside, but in this pitch-black basement, it made no difference at all. It was a strangely pleasant feeling, not having to rely on these things once in a -

"MMPH!"

Someone's hand was over my mouth. Then, another hand quickly covered my eyes. I tried to struggle, but I was somehow held in place with surprising force.

"Careful now," whispered the darkness. "If you move, I might break you~"

"Mmph!?"

"Or maybe, you came down here because you want to be broken?"

I recognized her voice immediately. But that only worsened my fears. Flandre had already broken my arm once before. I didn't feel like reliving that experience. Therefore, I decided to take the most logical course of action. Raising my hands in the air slowly, I gave her the signal of surrender.

"Aww... but that's no fun!" she said as she let go. "You hardly ever come down to visit me anymore! Can't you play along, even just a little bit?"

"How about that game we played this morning? The one at the library?"

Flandre just folded her arms and pouted at me.

"It doesn't count when I come up to visit. You really don't know anything, do you?"

"Huh? I don't get it."

She sighed and shook her head. Taking my hand, she slowly led me through the darkness toward her room.

"Of course you don't," she said. "Talking to you is like eating a sweet bun from the wrong side."

[x] Before dinner.

I paused before the main gate of the mansion. Despite my familiarity with the place, it really did look quite ominous at dusk. The shadows danced as the lamps within were lit, one by one. The name of this place was once feared among those in the village.

Scarlet Devil Mansion

I heard that when it first appeared in Gensokyo, Remilia actually created an incident of her own. An unnatural red mist blocked out the sun, and the shrine maiden had to step in to stop her. Marisa was also involved, but it sounded like she was far more interested in looting the Voile library. I still didn't understand how everything managed to calm down, but then again, much of what happens around Gensokyo doesn't really make much sense. Not to an ordinary human like me, anyway.

"So, are you going to just gawk at the gate, or are you coming inside?"

Startled, I turned toward the direction of the voice. Leaning against the wall, partly hidden by shadows, was someone I didn't expect. Well, I didn't expect her to be awake, anyway..

"How cruel! I do try my best at this job, you know! No intruders have made it past this point since yesterday!"

Oh. I guess I said that last part out loud. But for some reason, I felt like playing along.

"Marisa broke in again last night," I replied. "I overheard the fairy maids talking about how someone was going to get a beating when Sakuya finds out."

"E-eh? But that didn't count! I was out on a break, and there was a special offer on grilled lamprey and -"

Meiling paused for a good five seconds before realizing her mistake. Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in shock. Too late for that. I sneered at the gate guard as her face turned white.

"So you did take off to visit Mystia's stand again," I said darkly. "Now, I wonder what would happen if Sakuya happened to find out that you were slacking off last night. Or perhaps, I should tell Remilia as well. She should be informed that someone in her staff isn't doing her job. After all, I -"

I stopped immediately when I noticed Meiling's eyes. They were starting to tear up, and she looked really scared now. I quickly forced a laugh and shook my head.

"Hey, I'm just kidding! You wouldn't think I would actually do that, would you?"

It took a few seconds for my words to sink in. She quickly wiped off her eyes and shook her head.

"No," she said softly. "But if you did, I wouldn't know what to do. Nobody else really bothers to chat with me like this, and if you suddenly thought that I wasn't good enough to be your friend, then I.. I.. I'd feel really lonely out here and.."

Damn. I'd forgotten about how sensitive the girl was about things like this. I quickly stepped forward and put my hand on her shoulder.

"You are doing a great job," I said. "And you are much stronger that others make you out to be. Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise."

She looked up at me, her eyes still damp, and she gave a little nod.

"T-Thanks.."

I gave her a wave before heading inside. She waved back energetically, and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

After all, Marisa really didn't break in yesterday.

I glanced at my watch as I walked along the grounds. I always preferred digital time pieces, as the digits were large enough to recognize in the darkness. It was still a bit early for dinner. And since that was the case, then I should take some time to visit...
[ ] Remilia
[ ] Flandre
[ ] Patchouli

"It's been a while since you've visited. I was wondering if you had already forgotten me?"

I took a sip of tea. Keine always knew how to brew good tea. I took a moment to savor the taste in my mouth. Back at the mansion, I often had only western blends.

"Your tea is great as usual," I said.

"I didn't think that an 'Outsider' could adapt to Gensokyo life so quickly. It's amazing that you were accepted at the vampires' home. I would have expected you to be a corpse drained of blood, by now."

"Not like they never tried it," I said with a smile. The tea was a little less bitter this afternoon. "It's an interesting change of pace, but humans are surprisingly adaptable. As long as they don't die, they somehow get used to even the strangest of circumstances."

"Enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

"Let's keep it back at interesting."

We looked at each other for a few moments before bursting into laughter. Keine was a good friend to almost anyone who sought her. She was always willing to listen and give advice. It was no surprise that she was among the first who I really trusted when I first arrived in Gensokyo. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was much thanks to her that I was still alive.

"How are your headaches?" she asked. "Do you still have trouble sleeping?"

I shook my head.

"I feel fine now. Stopped taking the medicine a couple of weeks ago."

At those words, Keine put down her cup and gave me a serious look.

"Are you sure you're alright now?"

"Don't worry about it. You were right. It was probably caused by all that stress from before."

"Well, if you feel strange again, don't forget that you can always talk to me about it."

I stayed with her for a while, chatting about this and that. The kids were already dismissed from school, so we had the place all to ourselves. Somehow, we've become close friends. Well, close friends in a strictly 'friends' way, at least. For some reason I couldn't place, we never really moved towards a romantic relationship. But that was fine. Sometimes, one just needed a person to talk to. Someone who wasn't too close to home.

Speaking of home, I was starting to lose track of time again. This happens only rarely nowadays, so I was surprised. When I glanced out the window, it was already late afternoon. The sun was starting to set. I quickly apologized and bid her goodbye. She just gave me a little wave and her usual, "Come visit again sometime."

I stepped out and stared at the reddish-orange sky. At this rate, I'll probably get back at the mansion...

[ ] Before dinner.
[ ] During dinner.
[ ] After dinner.

[x] Walk around the village.

"Eh, you still have some business in the village?"

"Not really, no. But I do feel like stretching my legs once in a while."

"Hmm," said Sakuya. "Well then, be sure to get back by dark. If you come home late, your dinner will get cold."

"Eh?" I replied, surprised. She usually wasn't the type to let me wander around freely. I raised an eyebrow at her. She just folded her arms and slightly averted her eyes.

"After all that's happened," she said, lowering her voice. "I just thought that you should enjoy yourself once in a while."

Enjoy myself? Now that's new. Hmm...

"And if I said that I'd enjoy some time in the village together with you?"

Sakuya stared back, poker-faced. She was clearly on guard now, and I couldn't tell what she was thinking. I stood my ground and waited. A minute passed before she relaxed and turned back to the path.

"I need to get back to the mansion," she said. "There are certain arrangements that I can't postpone."

I sighed. Well, it wasn't like I didn't expect this kind of answer from the chief maid. What I didn't expect was what she said as she started walking away.

"Perhaps," whispered Sakuya. "Perhaps another time."

[x] A music box.

"Ah! This is.. a music box?"

Sakuya scrutinized the gift closely. Her face had a far more serious expression than I had expected. She opened and closed it a few times, listening carefully to the melody. I found myself swallowing from nervousness.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"This design," she said without looking back. "I've seen this before. Didn't the little mistress own something like -"

She turned to me, frowning. I found myself taking a step back. Was I going to go under interrogation? This just didn't seem fair. Not at all. But after all we had been through in the past, my body was already preparing itself for the punishment. Her eyes widened.

"Ah!"

I closed my eyes tight. Was she going to pin me to a tree with her knives? Or perhaps, she was going to shred my shirt and pants to pieces and force me to walk through the village naked? Well, the last time this happened, she only dragged me to the Forest of Magic and left me to die. Looking back, she really was starting to show restraint.

"Please don't misunderstand! I do appreciate the present. Thank you very much."

Huh? I opened my eyes to see her bowing before me. For a split second, I had a very interesting view of her chest. My lips broke into a small smile. I quickly burned the image into my retinas before she stood up straight.

"Don't mention it," I managed. "I thought for a second that you didn't like it. I guess I really don't know how to pick out gifts."

She shook her head vigorously.

"I'll treasure this!" cried Sakuya.

Her voice was surprisingly loud, and a few of the villagers turned their heads in our direction. I laughed uneasily. Realizing herself, she quickly cleared her throat and looked away.

"I'll treasure this," she whispered. "Always."

[ ] Visit the lake.
[ ] Walk around the village.
[ ] Head back to the mansion.

Prologue

"A gift? For me?"

I smiled gently at Sakuya. Her cheeks grew red as she looked up at me, then at the gift, and then back again. The chief maid just stared in surprise. I couldn't help but feel myself blush a little at this fresh look.

"I thought you might like it," I said to her. "It thought that it was something that matched your style, and it was the only one left in stock."

"May I?" whispered Sakuya.

"Go ahead. Open it."

Very carefully, she tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a small wooden box. She took a moment to examine it, but the container was unmarked. Sakuya looked up at me, completely puzzled. Then, she opened the box.

"Ah! This is..."

[ ] A music box.
[ ] A hand mirror.
[ ] A litte red hood.
[ ] A handful of coins.
[ ] A pair of eye glasses.