Rediscovered Scarlet Archives

[Shanghai Alice]

Before you ask, this is not a vampire story.

It starts out looking like one, but...

Well, read past the first chapter.

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Chapter 1: Immortal Vampire's Rambling​

My name is Remilia Scarlet, proud descendant of Vlad Tepes. Decades ago, my family inhabited a mansion near the base of Youkai Mountain. The remote location was essential, due to the curse that the darned humans put me under.

I was, in human terms, a vampire. My mother had committed some great sin of one sort or another, and the shrine maiden, in her self-righteousness, thought it necessary to punish her. I was her punishment.

Over time, I learned to accept it, and even profit from my curse. Using my wings, I could do things that no other children could even dream of. Using my claws, I could rip apart wild animals in seconds.

My parents truly loved me, never punishing me or disciplining me like they did the other children. However, as I matured, I felt a gap growing between us. After a few more years, I understood that it was not love. It was fear.

I used their fear of me to the fullest extent, and I eventually had them under my thumb, completely at my mercy.

They eventually died, of course. Natural deaths, old age. Even I wouldn't murder my own parents in cold blood.

When they died, I was lonely. Unable to tend to such a large mansion alone, I sealed it off, and relocated myself to the woods, trading a pampered life of luxury for a lowly life of chaos and battle.

It was then that I learned the true joys of being a vampire.

I was a being of nightmares, the name that parents would utter in frightened whispers, as if merely mentioning me would cause me to appear.

I was feared by all, the one who's dress was stained with blood.

The Scarlet Devil, they called me. Not a bad name. Simple, elegant, fearsome.

I was the one who stalked the night. I was the ruler of darkness.

But...

I was tired.

I've forgotten how long it's been since I started hunting. Maybe that was a good thing, maybe not.

Regardless of how many years it's been, I couldn't live like this forever. No matter how fast or strong I was, it was time to finally accept a life of solitude.

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Many years later...
​

"What a joke I've become..." I muttered to myself, as I stared at the moon.

"It hasn't even been one hundred years since my return, and yet... My instincts are dulled from lack of use, and the slightest sunlight burns me..."

Sighing, I rose from my chair, and, just to make sure that I hadn't weakened too much, hovered in the air a few inches.

I was quite different from the hunter I used to be. Decades ago, the thirst for blood was constant, a powerful force that motivated me to kill.

Now, I could hardly call myself a vampire. Rather than the wonderful liquid that gave me the will to live, I have stooped so low as to eat the prepared meat of wild animals.

It wasn't bad, but it was a far cry from my old diet.

Because of this, I could barely stomach human blood. The humans I attacked rarely ever suffered more than a few minor wounds, due to the fact that I never killed without reason.

"Remilia the Vegetarian" they would call me, forgetting who murdered their ancestors. It made my blood boil.

And to make matters worse, I had suffered the worst fate a small girl could have.

Even though I was protected, and well cared for by the numerous fairy maids (Numerous, because it takes dozens of them to do the simplest tasks required of a maid), even though I was still strong enough to repel anyone who tried to invade...

I was alone. I had fairies, but fairies are so stupid that they might as well be inanimate objects. I needed a being comparable to myself to live with.

I had been lonely before. I lived most of my life alone.

However, living a solitary life of a killer was different from living a lonely, pampered life.

I had nothing to do, nobody to talk to, and nobody to play with.

I had tried kidnapping a human before, but humans proved to be too fragile to be good company. Most of them were too superstitious and closed minded to understand what I was trying to discuss with them anyway.

And then I realized...

Youkai.

Unlike humans, youkai were not fragile. Most of them were similar to me, so, assuming I found an intelligent one, I would have someone to share my vast knowledge with. Maybe I would even have someone to learn from.

I had made up my mind. The next night, I would capture a youkai, and attempt to befriend them.

I had spent the rest of the night preparing, sparring with an invisible opponent to ensure that I had not lost my instincts. After all, I did not know how dangerous my potential friend would be. The more dangerous, the better.

Of course, this was in the time when many youkai were like myself, horrific monsters that struck fear into all who lived to know them.

When dawn came, I retired to my bedroom, falling into a deep sleep, to recharge my body for that evening.

When I opened my eyes again, it was late evening. The humans would still be out, meaning the youkai would still be hunting.
My window of opportunity was still open.

Dressed in my bloodstained clothes from almost a century ago, I set out into the night.

Soaring over the trees, I scanned the ground below me, assessing my options.

Not another fairy, I had enough of those already.
A lesser youkai would be too hard to educate...
Yukari Yakumo would overpower me instantly...

And then I saw them.

Two great wings, with crystals hanging from them that shone in the moonlight. They were beautiful.

The wings were attached to the back of a youkai that I had never seen before. A girl with short, blond hair, and an aura of magic that caught me by surprise.

Clearly, this was no ordinary youkai. This much was obvious.

However...

It was a vampire like myself. I could not let this opportunity pass me by.

Forgetting common sense, I used the advantage of surprise to dive down and grab this creature by her wings, taking her into the sky.

I almost dropped her because of it. Her wings, instead of being leathery and warm like mine, were cold and rigid, as if made of steel.

While I took a moment to recover from the freezing cold that my hands were feeling, one of the wings jerked back, the crystals catching me in the arm, embedding themselves into it.

I suppressed a scream, and began to fly faster, hoping to reach the mansion before I was too weak to fight back.

And then...

This creature did something contrary to every survival instinct I could think of.

She laughed.

"You're fun! Most people that try and sneak up on me would have dropped me after facing that! Of course, most people wouldn't think to take me up into the air either. Still, I'll be impressed if you can survive playing with me!"

"This is... a game?" I asked, confused. Killing was a sport, but a sport that kept me well fed. I would not disrespect the art of killing by calling it a game. And yet this creature... This girl...

"Yeah! It's really fun, too! You've played it before, right? That's why you're so good, right?"

"What's your name?"

"Huh? My name? Nobody has ever asked me for my name. I don't have one."

"What are you?"

"Umm... A vampire, I think. That's what people tell me."

"That's what I thought at first... What are these wings?"

"My wings?" The girl thought for a moment, apparently unable to come up with an answer. "I have a good idea! Instead of talking, play with me!"

"I have a better idea. If you wait until I put you down, we can have even more fun. I have a big house to play in, and lots of fairies to play with. We can play all you want when we get there."

"Ooh! Fun! Fun! Where is your house?"

"Right down there," I responded, noticing my mansion right as she asked me. Diving down faster than any bird of prey, we were at front door in the next second. Letting the girl go, I took a moment to warm my hands, which were almost blue from the cold metal.

"This is where you live?" my captive asked me, staring at me with eyes like the red moon.

"Yes... Right past this door." Clearing my throat, I took a few steps closer to the door. "I have returned! Open the door!"

The two large doors slowly swung outwards, allowing me entry.

"Are we going to play here?" she asked, visibly having trouble restraining herself.

"No, not here..." I answered, thinking fast. I had to minimize the damage. "I know the best place. Follow me."

With an innocent killer behind me, I made my way to the basement. As always, it was pitch black and empty.

"We can play here. We can play all we want, without anyone interrupting us. Does that sound fun?"

There was no response. When I turned around, the girl was gone.

I could have sworn she had come into the basement with me...

My heart rate tripled. Perhaps a dark basement was not the best place to-

"Hide and seek!" the girl shouted, sounding almost like a human girl, doing nothing more than playing a simple game with her friends.

But this wasn't a human. If she found me before I found her, the consequences would be much worse.

The first thing I did was calm down. A loud heartbeat and rapid breathing was the first thing a vampire noticed.

The second thing was to fold my wings behind me, reducing my body area as much as possible.

Once I was as stealthy as I could be, I began listening for the smallest sound, the slightest indication of my opponent's location.

All I heard was absolute silence. Had she left already?

"FOUND YOU!" a horrifying voice screamed from the darkness, causing me to drop to the floor on instinct. As I did so, I felt a rush of air over my head.

Impossible. How could she be completely silent, undetectable to even ME?

"Aww, I missed..." a disappointed voice muttered, getting more and more faint.

She was moving away. Good.

Trusting that I hadn't lost my sense of direction while I was panicking, I bolted for the door.

"Hey! Don't... don't leave me..." the girl called out. "Please don't leave me..."

I couldn't let this continue. Here and now, it would end.

"I'm... I'm going to get someone else to play with, okay?" I called out, trying to keep my voice calm and friendly. "I'm going to be back." And, with a note of authority, I added, "Stay here."

"Okay... hurry back, okay?"

I didn't lose a moment. I ran out of my own mansion as quickly as I could.

Embarrassing! Me, being chased out of my own house!

I knew what I had to do. A being this powerful could only be contained by powerful magic.

The darned shrine maiden...

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 2: The Taming of the Blond Devil​

Using the night to my advantage, I shot like a bullet straight over the human village, the Forest of Magic, and the road leading up to the shrine.

I descended quickly upon my destination, treasuring every slipping second.

Not having time for niceties, I sprinted up the steps, and began banging on the wall (The shrine did not have a door), and calling for Yuki Hakurei.

After a few seconds, I stopped my shouting, having heard footsteps approaching.

The shrine maiden appeared, rubbing her eyes, and looking heavily irritable. "Huh? Whaddaya wa-"

She froze at the sight of me, and grabbed her gohei from behind the entrance.

"Oh. Remilia the Vegetarian. What do you want?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"I have a problem I need a shrine maiden to handle."

"We've all got problems. For most people, you're the problem. Get out and let me-"

"A problem that I need a shrine maiden to handle," I repeated, "because I can't handle it myself."

"Oh..." she nodded slowly, my point finally sinking in. "What kind of problem?"

"I have something extremely dangerous waiting for me in my basement. She's a blond headed vampire, and she made me run out of my house in fear. Someone needs to seal her."

"Sealing away a youkai typically requires human sacrifice. I'm not going to kill myself for your benefit."

I thought for a moment. Rather than banishing her... "Can't you keep her inside the basement then?"

"It's possible. How powerful is she?"

"Her aura is stifling, but she herself doesn't seem to be aware of it."

"Right..." Yuki sighed, as if I was some irritating neighbor who needed help with some menial task.

"My mansion is-"

"Everyone knows where it is. I'm on my way." And with that, she began praying rapidly, rising quickly into the air.

Not wanting to be too far behind, I followed her lead, before shooting off towards my house.

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We arrived less than ten minutes later.

"Stay here," I ordered, "I'll ensure that she's still there."

"Right. If you take too long, I'll seal off your whole house."

Ignoring her, I made my way to the basement door.

Taking a deep breath, I opened it, and descended into the black.

"Where's the other person that I get to play with?" the unwanted guest asked, clearly growing restless.

"She's outside. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Is she the human who is standing at the door?"

Good sense of smell. Impressive.

"Yes, she is. I'm going to go get her now, okay?"

"...will you take as long as last time?"

"No, I'll be back in just a few minutes."

"Okay. Don't be too long..."

Leaving her alone once again, I walked slowly to the front door, and met up with Yuki again.

"Yuki, she's there. What do you need to do to contain her?"

"I can mark the doors, so she can't get out."

"Can you contain her power as well?"

"More complicated. I'll need direct contact, and something to seal her power in."

I looked around for anything of use, scratching my head in thought.

Or rather, scratching my hat.

"Would a hat work? Or would it have to stay on her head?"

"It would work, so long as it isn't destroyed or tampered with."

"Use this, then." Taking my hat off my head, I shoved it into the shrine maiden's hands.

"Now I need direct contact, and I need it long enough to recite the prayer. Is that doable?"

"I have an idea..." I responded, half-confident in my plan.

This was obviously the wrong thing to say. "It better work, okay? If Gensokyo is left vulnerable in my absence, I will haunt your ghost for all eternity, do you hear me? If anyone else dies because of this, I will-"

"Understood, I will do my best. Are you prepared?"

"I... I think so."

"If you can do this, then-"

"Don't give me that, Remilia. I know what it will mean if I succeed, I don't need you to tell me that." Obviously, her nerves were getting the best of her.

"Right," I muttered. "Follow me."

I led her to the basement, and carefully opened the door.

"Ooh! She smells good!" a horrible voice greeted us. The sound of a hungry creature about to maul its meal.

"Wait! Before you kill her, she wants to feel your pretty wings, okay?"

"Huh? Okay, then I can eat her, right?"

I could feel Yuki tensing up next to me. Due to her silence, however, it seemed she understood what I was doing.

"You can play with her as long as you want first, and then eat her. I promise."

"Alright, if you promise..."

And, miraculously, I could hear her footsteps approaching us.

"So this is the youkai everyone was talking about..." Yuki mumbled. "Hey, Remilia, you didn't mention that it was her."

"What about me?" the vampire asked, suspiciously.

"Well, umm... The humans have been talking about a youkai that has wings like Heaven itself..." Yuki responded nervously. I could hear a sound like wind chimes, indicating that Yuki had grabbed hold of the wings.

"Can I eat her now?" She was growing impatient.

"No, just let her look at them a little longer. The last wishes of a human are to be respected."

"If you say so. Wait, what are you putting on my head?" She sounded alarmed. I had to think of something...

"It's a hat I made for you, just like mine. Didn't you like my hat?"

"It feels so nice, so... so..." Her speech began to slow down. "Thank... thank you..."

And then, the sound of snoring.


"I've put her under," Yuki said to me, sounding absolutely furious. "I need her asleep while I do this. Like hell am I going to let this thing tear me to pieces."

In spite of the situation, I laughed inwardly. So easy to scare...

Then, the shrine maiden began chanting. Unlike spells, her chanting seemed to be in a different language entirely.

The room fell silent, save for her chanting, the snoring, and the soft jingling of the creature's wings. It remained this way for several minute.

Then, as suddenly as she started, Yuki stopped.

"She's... she's good. As long as that hat is intact, she's sealed off. I still wouldn't get too close to her, though. She still has the teeth and claws."

"Thank you, Hakurei."

"I performed my duty as a shrine maiden. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't pick up any more dangerous things wandering in the forest, and don't bother me, or else I'll drive a stake through your heart."

Without another words, she stormed out of my basement, and left.

Leaving me alone in the dark with a sleeping monster.

I remained in the darkness for a few more minutes, reflecting on the situation. I had wanted an intellectual equal, and I had found a being that frightened even me. However, she did not seem to be unintelligent. Just... innocent.

This would be interesting.

Maybe I should just stake her, and try again...

"Hey, where'd she... where'd she go...?" a small voice asked me, sounding confused.

"She had to go. She'll play some other time." I answered, still deep in thought.

"But I thought you said I could eat her...?"

"She needed to go take care of something. Maybe tomorrow."

"I'm... I'm hungry..." the voice whined.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Hmm... Do you have any other meat?"

"I do. I will go get it. It is time for my meal anyway."

Stepping out of the basement, I gestured to a group of fairies that was floating uselessly, a mass of gossip and incompetence. "Bring my meal to the basement, along with another plate of raw meat."

"Yeah, okay!" they all called out, scurrying off in all directions to carry out my orders.

One of the few benefits of being a youkai was that the food chain was absolute. Fairies serve me in exchange for not being eaten.

I waited for a few minutes, before another idea entered into my head.

Smiling wickedly, I returned to the basement.

"Hey, you're really hungry, right?" I asked, still smiling.

"Yes! I'm really, really hungry!" she answered, sounding like a little child with a toy.

"You're free to eat the fairies that come down here, but don't eat too many, okay?"

"Oh! Thank you, umm..."

"Remilia."

"Remilia..." I heard a giggle. "What a weird name!"

"Of course, you wouldn't recognize it..." I muttered, both proud and annoyed about my name.

"Mistress Remilia!" a small voice called out, as the smell of food entered the basement. "I have your- ee-"

Her scream was cut short, as I felt something shoot past me ear. This girl was fast...

A split second later, I heard a plate smash against the stone. Wonderful.

I would lecture her. However, before I could lecture her, I needed to have more authority over her. I needed to name her.

I wracked my brain for an answer, trying to ignore the sounds of messy eating coming from the area near the door, I was flipping through all the names I could think of.

It couldn't be Japanese. It had to be French, as my name was.

That made it easier. I only knew a few French names: The name of my family members.

Jean, Marie, Louis... Ordinary, all of them.

Then, my grandmother's name...

Flandre. I had read that name on her tombstone, giving it a nice ring of death in my mind. Perfect for this innocent killer.

"You have no name, correct?" I asked, knowing the answer.

The sound of chewing stopped. "That's right."

"You're name is now Flandre, is that understood?"

"Flandre..." Flandre repeated, trying it out. "Flan-dre. Flan-dur-uh. Flandre. Okay!"

It was... that easy? Now for the lecture, then...

"Flandre, do you realize what you have done?" I asked sternly, intending to intimidate her. If I could establish myself as having the upper hand...

"What did I do?" she asked, confused. In all fairness, she had done exactly what I allowed her to. However...

"You attacked the fairy bringing us food! You've wasted the food!" I scolded.

"But you said..."

"You wait until they bring the food next time, understood?"

"Yes, Remilia."

"Good. Then you are free to eat them. However, like I said, don't eat too many. They are still my servants, after all."

"I understand."

Perhaps domesticating this thi- ...Flandre... would not be so difficult. It did not seem anyone else had tried. Or lived to try.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 3: Chinese Wanderer​

"Are you ill?" a voice rang through my head, pulling me back to reality.
"Hey! Are you alright? Do you need anything? Chinese girl, are you in need of-"

Before I could respond, I felt my knees finally buckle, as my strength ran out.

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I awoke later, though I did not know how much later. My head still burned, though it felt considerably better than it had.

After that, I noticed it was dark, and I was on my back.

Where was I...?

I jumped to my feet, sending a wave of pain throughout my body. I bit my tongue to keep from crying out, though I did not know exactly why I was attempting to remain silent. Rather than fight my weakness, I lay back down, defeated.

Suddenly, a blinding light flooded into the room, forcing me to squeeze me eyes shut.

"You don't look dead. Well, not yet, at least."

Once my eyes had adjusted, I turned to the source of the voice.

A tall, stern looking girl stood over me, wearing a red and blue dress covered in trigrams.

"Either way, I suppose you're lucky that you stumbled across us..." she muttered, circling me.

"What do you mean when you say I'm not dead... yet?" I asked, straining to speak.

"You were just about finished when we found you, covered in blood and dirt. Also..." She sounded hesitant, "Well, we're still in hiding, so we're still debating whether or not we should just kill you and eliminate any chance of discovery."

My heart skipped a beat, as I tried to make sense of this information.

"Joking, of course. If I wanted to kill you, I would have simply stepped aside and let you die." The girl laughed, a short, almost forced laugh. "How did you come so close to death, anyway?"

I thought back to what I was doing beforehand.

"It's a fairly long story..."

"I have time, and I'm pretty sure you do too."

"Very well. I had come from a small town in China, between the Forbidden City and the coast. Following the ancient tradition of my family, I learned martial arts and set out to improve my body and mind. Once I had reached the coast, I traveled to this land. I was drawn to Gensokyo, and-"

"Right, right, so you arrived in Gensokyo. How did you get beaten within an inch of your life?"

"I am youkai, though my appearance is mostly human. Once this was discovered, I was chased out by humans. I was forced to defend myself against five of them, and-"

"A nice story..." she interrupted, smiling slightly. "However, your face is the only thing completely untouched, while the rest of your body is covered in blood. What actually happened?"

My face turned red. I couldn't admit the truth...

"I tripped and fell down a hill, into some rocks."

"That's better. Even though you may be Chinese, telling a lie is not the wisest thing to do in Gensokyo. It's not a good idea to make enemies here."

My face reddened further. To be talked down to...

"Who are you to treat me like this?" I demanded, not willing to accept humiliation even at the hands of a savior.

"Eirin Yagokoro, the only reason that you're still breathing," she countered, her tone growing even more impatient. "As I said, and I will repeat it once again for you are Chinese, it is not wise to make enemies here."

Quick temper. I would remember that.

"In my homeland, even an injured traveler was treated with respect."

"In my homeland," she began, smiling slightly, "This conversation we are having would result in me being punished and you being killed on the spot. However, we are both in Gensokyo, so neither of our own customs apply here. It is, however, standard practice to reveal your own name whenever you ask someone else's, wherever you are."

"Hong Mei Ling, a wanderer from China!" I announced, still proud of my country.

"Hong Mei Ling, the wanderer from China. Quite a mouthful..." Muttering something to herself, Eirin produced a small vial from somewhere on her person. "You look tired. Drink this."

Thanking her, I took the vial from her hands, uncorked it, and swallowed it immediately.

"Does it work?" an enthusiastic voice asked, as my vision started to blur.

"What did you... Whaddidyou..." I tried to ask, as unconsciousness began sweeping over me.

"Sleep well, Hong Mei Ling. Hopefully, forever."

Cursing this witch, I felt the air rush out of my lungs, shortly everything was swallowed in darkness.

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I did not die.

I awoke in a small shack, containing only a small table and some incense. Other than that, it was devoid of all basic necessities, like windows and a door.

"Dumping her garbage on my doorstep, who does Eirin think she is...?" an irritated voice shouted, as a girl dressed in a red and white robe stormed past me.

I rubbed my head, wondering what had happened. I hadn't eaten anything suspicious, and I had taken medicine from Eirin...

Wait... Eirin...

So it was that vial...

"Hey, you're awake?" the girl asked, almost sounding annoyed at my survival. "That's... great. It really is. Who in the great, wide land of Gensokyo are you?"

"My name is Hong Mei Ling, a wanderer from China!"

"Why should I care what your name is, and it's pretty obvious that you're Chinese. Either that, or you're some really weird looking Japanese person," the girl answered. "More importantly, what the heck are you doing in my shrine?"

"Shrine?" I asked, confused. "Such a small, bare place can be a shrine? But doesn't a shrine at least have a-"

"Fine, fine, it's a poor excuse for a shrine, I get it. But unlike that place you come from, I don't think the gods will be too pleased if you insult their shrine."

"Gods are mere inventions of the human mind, meant to anchor humans to life through faith and hope," I responded, proud of myself. My teacher had taught me that.

"Not in Gensokyo. In fact, I've even spoken with a few of them myself. They come down to visit from time to time, but they're mostly just cooped up in some mountain somewhere. Naturally, I never get anything to help me run this place, just a 'Thank you', and a 'Keep up the good work!', and they're off."

Perhaps I should avoid this topic...

"It's... umm..." I thought back to Eirin's words, "Standard practice to reveal one's own name when they ask for another's. Or... Umm..."

"Hakurei Momoko, the shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine."

"Momoko?" I repeated, using my knowledge of Japanese to ask, "Doesn't that mean 'Peach child?'"

"Ha ha ha," Momoko forced a laugh, before becoming serious again. "Yeah, great senses of humor my parents had. Of course, they had no way of knowing what kind of a person I'd grow up to be. Naturally, it's their job to tell me, seeing as how they named me and all. Feh."

"Excuse me," I interrupted politely, not wanting to anger another stranger. "Where is the nearest village?" I needed to get away from this shrine maiden as soon as possible. Her bitterness was unnerving, to say the least.

"Nearest? There is no 'nearest' village. There is a small village really far away, though. Just follow the only path you see when you walk out, and you'll arrive at the town square."

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me-"

"Nope, not going to happen. I nursed you back to health, even after I had some worthless Chinese freeloader dumped onto my shrine by that arrogant Moon girl. I put up with your idiocy for the last five minutes, and that's not even counting all I could have done while I watched you. And you want to just leave?"

I froze in my tracks. Surely, she wouldn't force me to be in debt to her? It seemed... dishonest for a person of a religious life.

"I have no money, and I'm not skilled enough to work," I responded, wondering what she had in mind for me.

"But I bet you can fight, right? Judging by the look on your face, you probably think I'm going to make you be a guard or something. No, that's not it. You're obviously a youkai, so you're definitely stronger than the others in the village. Fight with me, entertain me." She reached for something on the wall, and pulled back a stick with paper tied to it. Holding it like a weapon, her eyes were burning with passion.

"I... I couldn't fight someone who had just saved me from the brink of death..."

"A coward's excuse! A miko's job is to purify evil, so I need to be strong! I don't care whether or not you hold back, but I won't!"

With a booming shout, the shrine maiden rushed towards me. I was caught off guard by her speed, which was significantly higher than I would have guessed.

Barely avoiding her first strike, I ducked to the side and turned to face her.

If I could not break her offensive, I would counter.

As she rushed for me again, I grabbed her left arm with my own, and used my right arm to deal a heavy blow to her stomach.

As proof of my strength, my opponent doubled over in pain, breathing heavily.

"That... that was a cheap shot!" she shouted, leaning her stick against the wall.

"I have no intention of bloodying myself up over a shrine maiden's dangerous idea of a game."

"You think this is a game?" Momoko sputtered, before spreading her mouth into a smile. "Then you clearly haven't grasped the true nature of Gensokyo yet! That little fistfight was just a warm-up!"

"How could anything settle things more definitely than physical combat?" I asked, confused. I was a wanderer, but I was also a warrior. A fair, one on one fight was the only solution to problems that were beyond words.

"Like this! Gaze in awe, Hakurei Orbs!"

As if she had summoned them (Or perhaps she had?), two orbs, each with the appearance of the yin-yang symbol, appeared out of thin air. Red and white, each floated around Momoko, defensively.

"This is how people fight in Gensokyo: With magic. A brute like you could never hope to survive."

I adopted a defensive stance, trying to comprehend this turn of events.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 4: Rock-Paper-Scissors​

"Hakurei's Fury!" Momoko shouted, charging towards me once again. This time, however, she was supported by the two orbs.

Ignoring the orbs, I sidestepped her assault and swept her legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor.

However, taking my eyes off the orbs was exactly what she wanted. One of the orbs collided with my face, knocking me off my balance as well.

"Ha, I don't even need to use spells against you!" Momoko taunted, jumping back to her feet. "You're easier to deceive than a child!"

"Fight me in a fair duel, miko!" I answered, humiliated by the blow. "Or are you too afraid to die?" Rising to my feet, I took a few steps back, rubbing the spot where I was hit.

"I haven't even casted a real spell yet, and you're already complaining?" my opponent taunted, reaching into the folds of her robes.

Taking this opportunity, I rushed forward, closing the gap instantly. Dealing three swift blows to her stomach, I knocked the shrine maiden to the ground effortlessly.

Breathing heavily, Momoko rolled onto her knees, her back to me.

"A sucker punch?" she asked, panting heavily.

"You left yourself exposed. Any fighter would have done the same."

"Right..." she muttered, slowly dragging herself to her feet. "Hey, you said you're name is Hong Mei Ling, right?"

"That is correct. I am a wanderer from-"

"Got that part." She sighed heavily, before asking, "Tell me, Chinese wanderer... What do you want for your epitaph?"

"My epitaph?" I was caught off guard by this odd question. "Pardon?"

"Because..." her voice was weak, and unsure.

Against my better judgment, I waited for her to finish.

"Because, Chinese girl who I nursed back to health..." her voice was louder now, stronger. "I'm going to send you to the afterlife for this."

Spinning around, she held her hands out in front of her.

"Maiden's Fog!" she declared, as a red glow appeared around her. Without warning, several streams of magic shot out from it, heading towards me.

While I was staring in awe, my survival instinct forced me to jump back, narrowly missing the attack, and leaving a large scorch mark on the ground in front of me.

"Physical combat is a dead art. It has no place in Gensokyo. You have no place in Gensokyo, and I'm going to purify the taint immediately."

"Purify the taint?" I repeated, confused. Surely she didn't mean-

"The fog's still up! Attack!" With a dramatic shout, my opponent pointed a large finger at me, sending more magic out of the glow around her.

Jumping back again, I expected to see the same scorch mark appear in front of me. However, I was burned on the shoulders by several small attacks. Obviously, the shrine maiden had learned from her mistakes.

The pain in my shoulders was blinding, and it felt like it was spreading to the rest of my body. Suppressing a scream, I attempted to block out the pain and focus on one thing:

Destroy the thing causing me pain.

Turning my scream of pain into a loud warcry, I charged forward, narrowly missing the shrine maiden, who had sidestepped my attack.

She smirked. "You're so slow! And, at this rate, I'm really going to kill you. It's been fun. Say hello to Yuki for me!"

I turned to face her, preparing for one final charge.

The first thing I noticed was the fact that she had her hands in front of her again, and they were glowing.

The second thing I noticed was the smirk on her face.

"Moon Ray! You're dead, Chinese girl!"

I charged forward a second time, hoping to pummel her before she could complete the spell.

I charged straight into her attack. A large ball of energy shot out from her, hitting me in the stomach. I looked down in shock, staring at the magical projectile.

And then my world ended as it exploded at point blank range.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

As I once again returned to consciousness, I waited for the horrible pain, or the injuries of the previous fight.

However, I was amazed to discover that I was perfectly fine.

"Good, you actually are a youkai," I heard the shrine maiden's voice behind me.

I jumped to my feet, and spun around to face her.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said quickly, throwing her hands up in front of her. "I just had to work off a little stress earlier. It's a good thing that you can regenerate..."

"Explain!" I demanded, confused by what she meant. "Why am I not dead or injured?"

"...do you want to be? I can do exorcisms and sealings, so if you really want to permanently die..." She grinned, baring more teeth than was probably necessary.

"Of course I don't want to permanently die! Just tell me why I'm not horribly injured!"

"Oh, you don't know? Hard to believe you've never gotten yourself killed before, but... Well, when most youkai die, they are regenerated a short time later. Something about the magic inside them or something. You people are pretty much made of magic, so all you have to do is wait for it to reform. Ironic, considering how incompetent you are in even the most basic of duels involving magic..."

With this insult, I could feel anger welling up in my stomach. "Fight me in a fair duel, then, shrine maiden! I'd be happy to have a rematch!"

"Rejected. You're a fist fighter, I'm a magic-user. I'd have an unfair advantage. Now..." She sighed, and glared at me, "I'm done taking care of you. Get out."

"Gladly. Where is the nearest village?"

"I didn't say I'd tell you that..." She paused, smiled slightly, and added, "But there's a mansion out in the woods that could use a gate guard."

I stared at her for a moment, wondering whether or not to believe her.

"You don't need to take my advice, of course. But the humans in the village will kill you, and the youkai in the woods will eat you, so it'd probably be better to find employment while you can. Anyway, I'm going to go make some tea. If you're still here when I come out to drink it, I'll make sure that I finish you off permanently. Goodbye."

As she turned her back on me, I considered getting my revenge. However, she had beaten me. I would shame my family by striking somebody who has trusted me enough to turn their backs to me.

And so, with no other option, I left.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 5: Adventures of China​

I am a proud warrior from China, skilled in both self-defense and offensive tactics. I have no equal in the field of hand-to-hand combat, cutting down all who oppose me with brute strength, endurance, and speed.

However, I am now lost in a foreign land, unable to use any of the skills that I am so proud of. In the short time that has passed since my arrival into Gensokyo, I have fared much worse than I had predicted. A simple fall has resulted in my capture, an attempt on my life, a meeting with an unstable shrine maiden, another attempt on my life (This one successful), and my current wandering through the woods.

Once I had left the shrine, I followed the path to the village, ignoring my foe's warning. I am youkai, and it would be foolish of me to fear simple humans. I had no reason to harm them, meaning they had none to harm me. So long as I simply passed through the village and kept walking towards my destination, this should end peacefully.

No… that idea was foolish. Twice already have I learned the true nature of this land, and I did not intend on learning another lesson the hard way. Although it would take more time, I would need to avoid the village, perhaps by walking around the outskirts, making sure that I was not seen…

And then I realized something very, very important.

I had neither slightest idea where I was going, nor where I would find work. I had simply assumed that the mansion that the maiden had spoken of would be at the end of the path. I cursed myself at my idiocy. A mansion in the woods would be in the woods for a reason. Surely, the owner wished to hide himself away, meaning that it would be difficult to find it alone.

That settled it. Although I did not like it, I had to go into the village and obtain information. Surely, the humans would talk amongst themselves about this mansion. Even in whispered conversations, information about my objective was sure to exist, if I only tried to look for it. I would listen in on the conversations, and determine the location of the mansion, and then swear loyalty to the master. It was all so simple.

And so, because of this course of action, I found myself adjusting my hat, and growing ever closer to the village. After a few more minutes of walking, I found myself at the beginning of the rows of buildings.

"Stop!" a voice commanded me, as I instantly followed it. Seven heavily built men stepped out into the path, surrounding me.

One of them stepped out in front of me, eying me up and down. After a few seconds, he stepped behind me, running his hands through my air.

I tensed up, restraining myself. The only reason that I had not resorted to violence was the amount of men opposing me. Even I could not hold my own against seven capable opponents. The fact that they completely surrounded me did not help my situation either.

"Is she from that vampire?" one of the men asked, sounding cautious. So that was what this was about…

"No," the man behind me answered. Apparently, he was a leader of some sort. "She doesn't look like it. You, youkai, who are you?"

The question had caught me off guard, though I had been listening to every word being said. I scrambled to give an answer. "My name is Hong Mei Ling. I am a wanderer from China, and-"

"From China, huh?" the man interrupted, the latest in a chain of people that were unconcerned about my past. "You're not… working for anyone around here, are you?"

"I have come to seek employment, and lend my services as a martial artist to those who could use it." I answered, wondering whether or not honesty was the best idea in this situation. However, to preserve a clean mind… Honesty is essential.

"She's a wanderer, then…" the 'leader' said to himself, before turning to the rest of his men. "She's still a youkai, judging by her hair, and the odd energy radiating from her." He went silent, then turned to a specific member of the group. "You, fetch some rope from the village while we keep guard over her. Hurry!"

The man who he commanded immediately nodded and ran into a nearby house, looking for some rope. A silent minute later, he returned, sprinting back to the gathering with a large bundle of the thick, strong-looking material.

I did not even have to wonder what it was for. I bowed my head, and offered my hands. A group of seven men… Surely, if I waited until the numbers were fewer… My odds would be much greater against three or even four. Still… they did not act like fighters. More likely, they were simple villagers who decided to patrol for any nearby youkai. But, by their size, one could easily tell that these men were farmers, blacksmiths, and other professions that would give one considerable power.

Regardless of how I made my plans, all of my theoretical fights ended in defeat. I could not challenge this many and hope to win… And I could not allow myself to run away. My pride would never allow me to escape from a flight. I could outrun seven men if I exerted myself, but I could not outrun the shame.

The rope slowly found its way around my legs, weaving between them in complicated knots and patterns, before one of the men tied off the segment, and began immobilizing my upper body. He made shorter work of it then I had expected, rendering my hands fairly useless in under a minute.

"Chinese youkai, your only mistake was venturing too close to our village, yet that was a grave one," the leader said to me, as two others held me up. "Woodcutter, take the girl into the woods and end her. Do as the shrine maiden has instructed us, and contain her magic in this jar. Bring the jar back to me, and I will reward you accordingly." As he handed a jar to a man behind me, I turned to look at my executioner. He was a common peasant, with a hatchet common of a man of his profession.

Strapping the hatchet and jar to his belt, he lifted me into his arms, and set off for the woods, while his companions returned to their daily lives.

I did not come to this land just to die at the hands of a common woodcutter… Surely, my ancestors would be mocking me in the afterlife. My brain began to form a plan. Surely, the only visible sign of me being a youkai was my hair, and, to those trained to feel it, the magical aura, which, with effort, could be suppressed. Besides that, I could potentially pass for human if the need was great enough.

And right now, I was definitely in great need.

The journey into the woods was silent. The man carrying me had little to say, occasionally mumbling to himself about his work or family. So… I decided to fill the silence.

"Is this how all Chinese girls are treated?" I asked, feigning indignation. "In my country, such treatment of females would be called beyond villainous. You have just met me, and yet you are about to kill me?"

"'s… just what I have to do," the woodcutter responded. "It's nothing… personal. Youkai eat humans, humans kill youkai. It's the way of things in Gensokyo.

"What have I done that warrants killing me?" I asked, as we both stopped in front of a clearing with a large stump in the middle. I needed to work faster, lest my head be on that stump…

"I told you, youkai eat humans," the man said again, setting me down so he could rest momentarily. "Your race doesn't deserve to live, kidnapping and killing children from our village. You'd murder my family with less thought than I'm giving you."

"Nobody kills a human because they might kill," I responded, deciding to actually use my intelligence for a change. "Nobody imprisons a man because he might be a criminal. I have never harmed a human in cold blood before. In fact, to harm the innocent is one of the greatest sins in the world. My master has taught me self-discipline."

"Martial arts, self-discipline or not, you're still a youkai. Consider yourself lucky. If we didn't find you, you'd probably have been killed by the other residents in town. At least this way, you'll be given a decent execution. Maybe not a burial, but… You things don't have any need for a burial, do you?"

"Will…" I asked slowly, completely devoid of other ideas, and fully aware that I was not going to change this man's mind. "Will I be given one last chance to pray to my Chinese gods?" It was an obvious ploy, but if I could at least win this small token of compassion…

"I don't know… I'm not going to free your hands…"

"My master taught me that betraying even a foe's trust is dishonorable… and that one should accept death gracefully." Those were blatant lies, so I wasn't bound to them. In this situation, I would need to survive now and atone for my sins later.

"You seem pretty hellbent on your teachings, so… I'll give you one last chance to pray. Your legs stay bound, of course."

"Thank you, merciful woodcutter…" I shouted, letting a bit of my true joy seep out. I wouldn't need my legs. It didn't matter how beaten and battered my body was, so long as I was still alive. I could always heal…

"Yeah, if you say so…" Picking me up again, he placed my body on the treestump, angling my head so that he had a clear swing. Then, sighing heavily, he unbound my hands. I could feel him tense up as he did so, meaning he was expecting an immediate attack. To lower his guard, I would need to do exactly what I had told him I would.

I did not know any Chinese prayers, because I never saw any use for the Chinese gods. Thinking quickly, I began mumbling nonsense in my native tongue, hoping that this peasant could only speak Japanese.

"Are you done yet? I don't have all day." I could see the shadow of his axe behind me, ready to fall. That scum, to strike a maiden without giving a fair warning…

So I would do the same. Pushing myself from the stump, I used my bound legs to ram into his knee, causing him to step back in surprise. Quickly rising my to knees and turning around, I dodged the swing of the axe that was aimed for me.

"You lying devil!" he shouted, positively enraged, "Curse the gods you pray to! I will have your head for this!" And, judging by his menacing look and precise swinging, he meant it.

Had I been on my feet, this fight would have been over in seconds. However, I was bound up to my knees, limiting my range of movement and attack. I had to work with what I had.
Attempting to dodge the weapon (Which was easier than I expected, as his fury was causing him to aim only for my head), I focused on his stomach, striking whenever he was open.

After several minutes of blocking and countering, my opponent began to heavily tire, taking considerably longer to strike. Using one of these long pauses, I defeated my opponent by punching him in the gut with the last of my energy. Staring at me with blank eyes, he slowly toppled backwards, dropping the axe a distance away. Inching over to it, I cut myself free and ran from that place as quickly as my legs would carry me.

Apparently, my sense of direction had finally steered me into the right direction. After running from some unknown point deep in the woods, I found myself staring at the gates of a large, Western-style mansion.

Perhaps this was the mansion that the shrine maiden was referring to?

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 6: Teatime​

I stood at the gates, pausing for a moment to absorb my surroundings. Once again, I am standing before the gates of a mansion. However, even outside the gates, the wealth and power of the owner was very apparent. The walls were built eight feet tall, making it clear that the master did not care for uninvited guests. Looking inside the gates, one could see a large, two-story mansion, the well-kept lawn around it, the carefully swept footpath… It was as if a Celestial had decided to carry a small portion of paradise to the rest of Gensokyo.

However, in spite of the beauty of the grounds, there was a definite feeling that something was off. The large walls were ineffective against most youkai (I, of course, was among the youkai that it did keep out), but there was a noticeable lack of security inside the gates, save for a few chattering fairies. Surely, someone that commanded such wealth would want to protect themselves?

I could think of only three reasons for this. The first one was the least likely: the owner was a fool, and nobody had killed him yet. The second reason would be that the master has a powerful bodyguard, or keeps all of his security inside. The third was perhaps the most worrisome (Or comforting, if I succeeded at my mission):

The master of the mansion was so powerful that security was not needed.

The third seemed the most reasonable. In Gensokyo, it is rare to find a stronger being serving a weaker, meaning the idea of a servant was highly unlikely. The strong survive, and, for a person to have such a large mansion, they must be a youkai of great strength.

And hadn't those men been afraid of a vampire? Perhaps… if the master (or, now I think about it, mistress) was the vampire they spoke of…

A chill ran down my spine. The beings that I had met so far had been intimidating enough, and most of them had been human. I had yet to deal with another youkai of my ability, much less one more powerful than myself.

And so, standing at the gates of this mansion that raised so many questions in my ruby haired head… I hesitated. Realizing that there was only one way to satisfy my curiosity, I took a moment to take a few deep breaths, and slowly stepped forward, placing my hand on the gates.

"Hello!" I called out, hoping to catch the attention of one of the fairies. "My name is-" I paused, and thought about what I was about to do. "Err, I meant… I am a wandering youkai, looking for work. May I speak with your master or mistress?"

A small crowd of fairies had gathered around me by the time I had finished introducing myself, most of them looking confused. A few were asking the others in whispered tones what 'wandering' meant. Obviously, I had made a mistake in using a word longer than six letters.

"Miss Wandering," a fairy in a maid outfit began, floating forward from the crowd, "our mistress does not like guests that are not invited. We will let her know you were here, and you will have to come back later and ask again, and we will tell you whether or not you are able to see her. Is that okay?" Clearly, this fairy was the head fairy-maid, judging by her ability to form long sentences.

However, that was not okay. "I need to see your mistress immed- Err, as soon as I can!" I pleaded, shaking the fence as I did so. "I have no place to stay, and nothing to eat. I have barely escaped from the humans of the village, and I was hoping that the mistress of this mansion would be kind enough to let me stay tonight. Please, just for one night!"

The head fairy looked like she was thinking it over, weighing the small amount of mercy she possessed with the potential irritation of her mistress. She grinned slightly, baring her teeth, and turned to me again.

"Okay, I will ask my mistress if you may stay. Let me go open the gates." After looking me over again, she floated behind the wall, shouting something to another group of fairies. A few seconds later, another fairy floated over to the gate, holding a key that was half her size. Using all her strength, she slid the key into the keyhole in the gate, and slowly turned it, her face reddening with the effort. After a few seconds, three or four of her companions rushed to her aid, finally managing to unlock the gate.

"Take her inside!" the lead fairy ordered pointing at the fairy with the key. Placing her comically small hands on her hips, she turned to the crowd of servants. "Open the gates while I go alert the mistress!"

As she floated off inside the house, the entire group began converging on the gate, grabbing whatever they could reach. Rather than wait for all of the fairies to die of exhaustion from the simple task of opening the gate, I stepped forward and pushed the two halves aside sending many of the maids flying off into the distance. Continuing forward on the path, I had finally gained entry into the grounds of the mansion.

As I moved forward automatically, I felt the gaze of every creature inside the grounds fall on my back. Clearly, I was a person of interest, if only because nobody else ever worked up the courage to come to the mansion, which seemed to be the case. Then again, I'm not claiming to be courageous. I'm simply a desperate wanderer who happened to stumble upon a mansion.

While I was thinking, I accidentally bumped into somebody. Before I could look up, an apology was already streaming out my mouth. Once I did see who I had walked into, though, I took a step back in surprise.

Standing before me, surrounded by her tiny servants, was a young girl, clothed in an almost pale pink dress, with a small cap covering her short blue hair. The next thing I noticed, which should have been the first thing, was the fact that she was in possession of two (relatively) large, leathery wings, giving me no doubts as to what she was.

"You have decided to intrude upon my day," she stated, sounding irritated, rather than furious. "However, as you are a youkai, and are above the idiots that wander around in the forest, I suppose a certain amount of hospitality and courtesy is required of me. Step inside, and I will listen to what you have to say." She paused for a moment, slowly raising her head to look me in the eyes, revealing her own eyes to be a deep red. Showing a set of fangs, she finished with, "But I warn you, this had better be worth my time."

Once again, I shivered with fear. The widening of the mistress' grin told me that my sign of weakness had not escaped her notice.

"Hurry, before you catch a cold," she ordered. Clearly suppressing a smirk, she turned on her heels and led me inside, into the… What was the expression? The belly of the beast? Of course, old sayings have little relevance when you are following a vampire into her home.

Once inside, I was shocked by the state of the interior. Most of the items in the foyer were covered by a thick layer of dust, not to mention the stains on the furniture and cracks in the walls. For a home to be so fancy on the outside, yet to shabby on the inside…

"I could use someone that can clean," the vampire remarked, watching me as I stared at the various objects in her foyer. "The fairies, while excellent at simple tasks, are unable to handle anything more complicated than simple cleaning and maintenance. Because of this, I'm forced to cook my own meals frequently, whenever I want something more complicated than rice and vegetables… Meat is, unfortunately, outside their scope of knowledge."

The various fairies in the foyer made noises of indignation, but said nothing. They would rather accept the insult than challenge this vampire.

"Perhaps I could learn to clean?" I suggested hesitantly. "As I'm sure your fairy told you-"

"Yes, yes, you're looking for a place to stay. However, it is discourteous to leave a guest standing in my foyer. We'll talk over some food. As I said, I typically eat rice and vegetables, but I'm sure that a vagrant such as yourself would find it quite enjoyable."

I bristled at the word 'vagrant.' I was a wanderer, not a common beggar. I voluntarily chose to leave my home! To be insulted in such a manner… However, I had no other way of obtaining decent food, so I remained silent.

"Are you just going to stand there?" the girl asked, snapping me out of my daze. She had already entered the other room, and was impatiently gesturing for me to follow, which I did immediately.

The dining room was completely different from the previous room. The long table that filled the center of the room was perfectly clean, as were the walls. This room was closer to what a mansion should look like, as opposed to the dusty hole I had just escaped from.

My savior took her seat at the head of the table, and motioned for me to take a seat to her right, on the side of the table. With the thought of food filling my mind, I jogged over to my place at the table and sat myself down, right as two fairies placed a cup of tea in front of me, as two others did the same to my host.

"Now we are in a place appropriate for discussion. My name is Remilia Scarlet, mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. What is the name of the girl that I have apparently saved from hunger?"

"Hong Mei Ling," I answered. Throwing restraint to the winds, I grabbed hold of the teacup as if it were my mortal enemy's throat, and drained it of its contents in the blink of an eye, barely even feeling the hot tea. Instead, I felt liquid run down my throat and fill my stomach, satisfying me for the moment.

"Hong Mei Ling means little to me. The name of a commoner is worth little. Give me more information about yourself."

"I am a Chinese wanderer who decided to leave home and-"

"No! I don't want to know your life story, I want to know who you are. Describe yourself."

The order caught me off guard. I typically recited my tale, and most people accepted that as an explanation for who I was. I had not been asked to describe myself in a very long time.

I thought for a moment, cleared my throat, and began again. "As I said, I am a wanderer from China." Remilia chuckled slightly, and rolled her eyes. Ignoring this, I continued. "I am trained in various Chinese martial arts, and I am wandering the land in order to better myself. I have skill in hand-to-hand combat, defending others, assassination, and, to a lesser degree, gardening and tea making. While I am sure that you are very capable of defending yourself, perhaps you need somebody to deter unwanted visitors?" Once I had finished, I noticed that my tea cup had been refilled, and there was now a plate filled with steaming rice and vegetable sitting in front of me.

Chewing a large mouthful of food as she listened to me, Remilia swallowed loudly. "Unwanted visitors… Such as yourself?" She grinned again, but was much less intimidating this time, as several items were sticking out of her teeth.

"Yes, such as myself." I responded, stifling laughter.

"Very well, Hong Mei Ling, I will consider allowing you to work for me. However, you would not handle the cleaning. I do not allow the fairies to touch the precious artifacts in the other rooms, and I will no sooner allow a Chinese girl to do it. The only reason that this room is so clean, as you have noticed, is because the only thing in here the fairies could break is the table, and I find that highly unlikely."

I was unsure whether to simply look pleased, or to jump up and thank her. Though she scared me considerably, I could not deny the fact that I needed someone to take me under their wing. If nobody else would, then I saw no problem in pledging myself to the one that inspired fear into the hearts of the humans of the village.

"I said I would consider it, mind you." Remilia had obviously noticed my look of joy, and she quickly reminded me that I had not yet been accepted. "First… you need to pass a little test I have for you. Martial artists are able to fight while blindfolded, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct," I answered, finishing off the last of my meal. Curious as to what she had in mind for me, I slowly asked, "Why is that relevant?"

Remilia took another sip of her tea, perhaps for dramatic effect, set down the cup, and looked me straight in the eye.

"Although I am aware of the fact that it's not summer, we're going to do a little summertime activity. You've heard of a test of guts, right?"

I nodded slowly; well aware that anything this vampire had in mind was much more dangerous than any dare that human children faced.

"Hong Mei Ling, let's see how brave you are, shall we?"

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 7: The Dirty Little Secret​

There was a tense silence immediately afterwards, in which I struggled to maintain eye contact. Her mischievous grin and dull red eyes frightened me, with the fear compounded by her words. Swallowing heavily, I used all of my strength to voice the only thing I could think of at this moment.

"What?"

Apparently, I had just cracked a very good joke. Remilia began snickering, before rising into a loud cackle. After a few moments, she regained her usual unsettling calm, and once again stared into my eyes. "Perhaps the games of a vampire are too much for a… What was it, a wanderer from China? If you are to work for me, you must prove yourself. As you can see, I am only a feeble girl, whose only source of power is her noble birth. I must pay great attention to my protection, and I must do that by surrounding myself with capable guardians. However, the only beings I can recruit into my services are fairies. At this point, I'm willing to hire anybody, so long as they are strong enough for the job. It's a simple test, no more difficult than anything you've had to face, I'm sure. I can guarantee that. All I ask is that you help me with a little problem I've been having. If you don't want to work for me, then think of it as payment for the meal. If you refuse… I wouldn't advise that you try to eat and run, if you have any consideration for your own life or comfort."

Once she was finished with her monologue, I had already made up my mind. I would accept whatever task she wanted me to do, complete it, and leave this horrific place. I would find another master or employer in my travels, but if I entered into this vampire's service… I would be lost.

"Very well," I began, congratulating myself on my brilliant idea. "I shall solve your problem, and prove to you that I value honor above even my life."

Standing up and stretching out, Remilia yawned softly, placing a hand in front of her mouth. "You show more wisdom than I've given you credit for. Although it doesn't really make any difference at this point, you're not afraid of the dark, are you? Or of being blindfolded? I have read that it helps sharpen the other senses, so I am actually doing you a favor."

In contrast to her slow stand, I jumped up out of my chair, and stood up at my full height. "I fear nothing, least of all the simple absence of light!" I boasted, proud of my scientific knowledge. "The only thing I ask is that you begin the test quickly, as I want to complete it before it becomes too dark."

"Oh, don't worry," Remilia replied, with her usual unsettling voice, "she won't take long. In fact… I believe that the scuffle will be rather short. Of course, I cannot solve this problem myself, for various reasons…"

I stopped suddenly, caught off guard. "She?" I asked, confused. "Your problem is with a human? I… I cannot kill a human in cold blood, least of all an unarmed one! I refuse to-"

"Oh no, lay aside all of your doubts and worries. This is a youkai, and she won't be unarmed. She has taken up residence in my basement." She stopped walking, causing me to bump into her. Ignoring this, she gestured towards a door to her right, and continued speaking, "Right here, in fact. It's fairly dark in there, but I'm sure you have good enough hearing to find your way around. You'll be unable to see anyway, so it won't really matter. I would tell you that can decide to turn away at any time, but that's not really an option for you. So, before I send you in, I want to ask you something."

"Y-yes, what is it that you want to know?" My knees were shaking, and I could feel sweat dampen my hair. The more she spoke, the more fear tightened its grip on my stomach. Of course, that couldn't have been unintentional. This devil had planned this the entire time… Unforgivable…

"You acknowledge that, as you have not repaid me, you are in my debt, correct?"

Taken aback, I decided to answer honestly. "Yes, I acknowledge that."

"And because of that, I am entitled to compensation for my troubles, and the nature of your repayment is to be decided by me, and no others, correct?"

Yes, this is what I was doing now. She had promised that this task was repayment for the food. Once I did this, I would be free. "That is true, I am in your debt."

"Well then, that's settled. It is my policy to ensure that both parties are fully aware of the agreement at all times. Now, have you prepared yourself?"

No, I have not prepared myself. In fact, I would love nothing better than to have never found this wretched place, and to simply have been killed by the humans in the village. However, I have not been blessed with the gift of altering the past, so I am left with no choice to face the future. Unless… Unless I could alter the immediate future.

"I… I'm… I am ready," I stammered, steeling myself for what I was about to do. Preparing myself for what I was about to attempt…

"Of course you are. The fear in your voice is surely just an act. Alright, the test of guts begins…"

She stepped behind me, and I could hear her removing something from one of her pockets. Taking this opportunity, I swung my elbow back, hoping to catch her in the gut. Instead, I felt her hand grab my elbow, and, even more cruelly, begin squeezing it until I was sure that it would crack. However, Remilia had simply let go, leaving me in indescribable pain. Wordlessly, she resumed what she was doing, and tightly tied a blindfold around my eyes.

"Now." Unable to see, I could hear the sound of a door opening, shortly before I felt a push on my back. "I don't have all day, hurry up and defeat the youkai. Prove to me your worth."

Taking careful steps forward, I held in a noise of surprise as my foot fell beneath the floor. Regaining my senses, I took another step forward, and my other foot became even with the first one. I was not falling through the floor, I was stepping down a flight of stairs. After a few more steps, I heard a slamming door, and a small click, indicating that I was now trapped in utter darkness.

Or at least I was trapped in my own personal darkness. Reaching up around my eyes, I wasted no time on delicate knots, choosing instead to tear the cloth in two. Once I had cleared my vision, however, I had finally realized how twisted this game was.

The basement, even with open eyes, was pitch black. The vampire had wanted me to remove the blindfold simply so I would realize that I was in full darkness, forced to rely only on my sense of hearing, my reflexes, and luck.

Nervously continuing down the stairs, I heard the slight tinkling of glass, before a small breeze hit my face. Perhaps it actually was a lesser youkai I was facing? Wasn't it possible that it was just a simple fairy that had been caught and forced down here?

I laughed at this theory bitterly. After all I had been subjected to, a weak fairy would be anticlimactic. Surely, this creature that was something powerful, or at least powerful enough to guarantee a bloody end for me.

One of the few things I knew for sure was, based off of the events that had occurred so far… This game would only end in pain and death for me.

Focusing my thoughts again, I took a few more steps before reaching the basement floor (Or what I thought was the basement floor. Perhaps there was another set of stairs beyond this flat surface?). Once again, I could hear the light sound of glass hitting glass, as the breeze around me intensified. Perking my ears up, I listened for a source of wind. Perhaps the creature was inside a hole, and was generating a current?

My mind presented a more terrifying explanation: The wind and light tinkling did not come from the youkai that was down here. Maybe… it was the youkai that was down here. A being that could move so silently, yet so quickly… I prayed that this would end quickly. There was no denying it. I was already dead, and I could only hope that Remilia was merciful enough to prevent me from simply being killed for all eternity, thanks to my regenerative ability.

"Hello…?" I called out, hoping to use diplomacy as my last resort. "Is… Is anybody there?"

The wind stopped, replaced by soft footsteps in front of me, which were gradually growing louder. Focusing my ears even more sharply, I could hear a slight intake of breath.

"You're another friend of my sister, aren't you?" The voice sounded almost hungry, as if the speaker hadn't eaten for weeks (Please, don't let this thing be a cannibal...). And yet, in spite of the savage tones, there was the voice of a little girl, filled with energy and excitement over a break from the ordinary, something that interested her.

"No," I answered carefully, hoping beyond hope that I would be able to escape with my life. "I am a wanderer who needed food, and… I wanted to come and visit you."

"Visit… me?" the voice from the darkness asked, sounding confused and surprised. "Why… Why would you?"

"Because…" I was placing more strain on my mind now than I had in recent memory. I needed an answer… "I didn't want to leave without meeting the one that Remilia had spoken so fondly of." A shot in the dark, pardon the pun. I was staking my life on this response.

"She talks about me?" the girl(?) sounded suspicious, disbelieving. I had made a mistake. "You're lying. Sister calls me… Umm… Her 'dirty little secret.' She made me swear that I would not make any noise aside from the noise of my wings. Why would she reveal me to you?" The footsteps began again. She was advancing on me, causing me to take slow step backwards. I had to keep talking…

"I am here having this conversation, correct? If she did not want me to know about you, why would I be speaking with you?" I felt my back hit cold stone. I had nowhere to run, and, even in absolute darkness, nowhere to hide.

I could feel the warmth of her breath on my face, just as I could hear her slowly beating her wings. She was this close, and yet I was alive. That fact alone gave me a small amount of comfort.

"You don't know why you're down here, do you?" she asked, her breath quickening slightly. She was preparing for something, and that something was blindingly obvious.

"I am down here to… to…" For as long as I live (Which is a considerably long time), I will never understand why I blurted out my next three words. Of all my blunders, this was the worst. I finished my sentence with three simple, darning words.

"…to kill you."

My answer was met with the second fit of laughter that I had heard that day.

This laughter, however, was not filled with malice. It was a pure laughter, though not at all beautiful. It was the same laughter that grips humans close to death.

This girl was not simply amused. She was positively hysterical.

"It must be unthinkably horrible to be killed by an unknown being," the girl said through her mad cackles, finally voicing her intention.

"My name is Flandre. It is a name that you will never forget. I guarantee it."

I heard her footsteps fade. She was getting farther and farther away, leaving me to ponder what she was about to do. I considered moving, running, or pleading. None of those would have worked on this creature. Flandre, as she called herself, was physically superior to me in every way. I held my breath, and waited.

"I'll make it quick and painless. I could detect your fear when you entered, and you've suffered enough." I said nothing, waiting for her wings to tear into me.

"Take two steps forward," she commanded me. Automatically, I found myself complying.

"Goodbye, interesting stranger."

I heard a rush of wind, shortly before something grabbed my arms and carried me towards the wall at a speed that I could not even comprehend. I closed my eyes, knowing it would do nothing, and fell into darkness as I was slammed into the wall.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 8: Impressions​

For the second time, I found myself getting used to the experience of regeneration. This time, however, my body was still wracked with aches in pains, in an even worse state than when I had died. I lay on my back for a few moments, waiting for the pain to disappear. After a short wait, I was forced to accept reality.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted with the sight of a cloudy sky, indicating rain. Feeling the ground around me, my hands slid mildly warm bricks, confirming that I was, in fact, out of that horrific basement. Gritting my teeth, I slowly dragged myself up to a sitting position, and scanned my surroundings. My momentary relief turned to utter despair when I realized that I was sitting on the path leading from the gate to the mansion.

With the thought of escape filling my mind, I forced myself to stand, biting my tongue as my joints screamed in protest. I tried to block it out, an effort similar to stopping a typhoon with idle threats and malicious glares.

Slowly and painfully, however, I moved forward, thanking whatever higher power was aiding me at this moment. The front gate was only a few more steps away, along with my freedom. Closing my eyes to increase my focus, I steeled myself for the final stretch in my laborious task of crossing a simple yard. And with a few more steps…

"The second you touch that gate will be the second that I imprint a new meaning of suffering and terror into your head."

A smug and high pitched voice dashed my hopes like she a wounded bird on a sharp stone. I stopped, in spite of the screaming voice in my head that urged me onward. I could not work up the courage to turn around, instead deciding to collapse onto the stone, unable to ignore my wounds any longer.

The familiar footsteps… Did all vampires walk with that step? I muttered dark curses against fate, Remilia, and all others I had met in this wretched land. However, all curses ceased, instead turning into a loud, heavy gulp as a small shadow fell over my face.

Angling my head back a slight bit further, I could see Remilia kneeling down next to me, her face telling me that she had some new horror in store for me. I braced myself for her threats, her dark promises, planning only on begging for mercy when the opportunity presented itself.

As she leaned over me, however, she said something that I never would have expected. "I beg your pardon… But I don't recall allowing you to leave. A servant should never abandon their post."

Had I not been waiting at the banks of the Sanzu River, my eyes most likely would have widened in shock. The only reaction I could muster, however, was a blank stare.

"Or do you not remember?" Remilia asked me, the chilling grin returning to her face. "Unless I am severely mistaken, you swore that you would repay me for the mercy I have shown to you. Surely, an honorably fighter will keep her word…"

"Wh-what do you mean?" I gasped, my stomach aching even more with every word. "I fulfilled the conditions you set for me. I have repaid you."

"You thought that I only wanted to force you to walk to your death? You believed that your terror was enough to compensate me? No… I'm asking for much more than that. I'm not a sadist, after all." She widened her smile, and leaned in further. "I'm much more practical than that."

At that moment, I would have sacrificed myself permanently for the chance to choke the life out of this devil. I would gladly endure whatever punishment awaited me in the afterlife if I could only wrap my fingers around Remilia's throat.

However, as I was rapidly learning, things did not work that way. I was completely at her mercy, or lack thereof.

"What else must I do?" I asked. It was a foolish question, to say the least. One that I would come to regret.

"My terms are very, very simple, actually…" Her red eyes shone with utter malice. Her size and age made her seem more like a child ripping the wings off of an insect rather than torturing somebody's mind. "I want your services. You were asking about that earlier, weren't you? I need somebody to guard the gates, and repel intruders. Of course, you'll be doing that for the rest of your life, as long as it will be."

I opened my mouth slowly, and she closed it with one of her hands. "And if you refuse, you will experience a personal hell far worse than Sikeiki could even bring herself to subject any mortal to. I will make you wish that you were born a human, if only so you could die a lasting death. The choice is entirely yours, and I will not influence your decision either way. By deciding to be my gate guard, you unconditionally agree to my terms. If the terms do not suit you, you may refuse."

This devil… To shamelessly coerce me into her services… Either way, I would eventually be broken in both body and mind. I did not see how I could possibly last a year under her care.

"And one more thing to consider while you decide," Remilia remembered suddenly, "It was I that saved your life. I apologize for my… less than gentle handling while I retrieved your from Flandre. Due to my nature as a vampire, I was unable to step out in the sun during the day, so I simply threw you across the yard onto the brick. You're alright, I hope."

No… For fate to lead me here, to the hands of a being born of pure cruelty and evil… What sin had I committed that warranted this? Perhaps paying more attention to the various deities would have allowed this to end differently… However… There was no way out… I was trapped, forced to accept… Why…?

"I'll…" I held back my fury, forcing every sound out of my throat. "I'll accept… your conditions…"

"You're not nearly as stupid as you appear, then. Hong Mei Ling, you are now bound to the Scarlet Devil Mansion as my gate guard. I, Remilia Scarlet, am your mistress whom you shall protect even (and especially) at the cost of your own life. Should I wish it, you will be unable to leave without breaking the oath that you yourself have established. Your life is mine to use or end as I see fit, until one of us dies. With that…" She paused, and stood up once more, "You don't look very comfortable. Close your eyes and rest. I will have you cleaned up."

I turned my head to glare at her, beyond the point of trusting her.

"Why would I harm my own servant? Now that I have what I want, there is no more reason to err… 'Make you see the logic of my demands.' In fact, I am fairly good to those who show loyalty to me. Of course, I don't need to warn you to stay out of the basement. The only ones allowed down there are myself, and the expendable fairies. Understood?"

I lightened up considerably, having no choice but to accept her every word as truth. "I understand… mistress."

"Very well. Now close your eyes and rest, because it would be easier at this point to just let you reform than to actually heal you. I recommend that you fall asleep before the fairies that I am sending arrive."

And with that, she walked away. I happily accepted her recommendation, and slipped into unconsciousness.

Once again, I found myself in the courtyard, feeling much better than my last awakening. Honestly, I had never lost a fight before arriving in this land, and now… I doubt that I could have salvaged even the slightest bit of my earlier pride at that point. The area around me was empty, devoid even of the many fairies that usually floated about, filling the air with meaningless chatter.

That was not the only thing that felt… out of place. The air itself seemed to bristle with tension, as if warning me of something important. Following my senses, I hurried over to the gate I was allegedly guarding, and nearly fell to the floor from shock.

On the other side of the gate, four of the humans that had captured me earlier were approaching the mansion, armed with various makeshift weapons. My mistress was strolling out to meet them, seeming more amused than worried.

Pushing the gate open, I stepped out next to my mistress, waiting for her to give me an order.

"Humans, I believe you don't realize just how grave of a mistake you have made in coming here," Remilia warned in a low, dangerous voice, as she advanced on the intruders. Her wings were carefully folded back, hiding them from view.

"So this is the infamous Scarlet Devil?" one of the villagers laughed, straightening out his back. "A tiny girl has the entire village cowering in fear? Where's the real master of the mansion?"

"Remilia Scarlet, at your service," she answered, adding a curtsy for effect. She paused, letting her words sink in. Once she was sure that she had been heard, she added, "It is my pleasure to oblige your death wishes."

The look of mild fear on our opponent's faces stood as a testament to Remilia's aura of power and control. However, they were not dazed for long. One of them noticed me, and elbowed the other in the ribs.

"Takashi, isn't that the girl from before?"

Takashi turned his eyes to me, and looked me over. "You mean… That girl who nearly killed one of our comrades?"

"The same. What is she doing here…?" The two villagers turned to look at me, torn between slight fear and a desire for revenge.

"Where do you think you're looking?" Remilia shouted, bringing their focus back to her. She unfolded her wings, casting a large shadow in front of her. "If you have a problem with my servant, then you have a problem with me. If that is the case, than feel free to step forward and exact vengeance." As she spoke, her voice steadily rose, along with her body as she flapped her large wings, bringing her up to her foe's eyes.

The man at the head of the group, most likely the leader, laughed nervously. "Mind your words, little girl. You have no place in this conflict."

"The third time you underestimate me will be your last, and that is a threat I intend to carry out. I suggest you take your own advice, halfwit, and use thought when speaking to those above you." Though I could only see her back, her tone of voice suggested that she was now wearing a wide smirk, which was confirmed by the look of rage on the supposed leader's face.

"Takashi, Kimura, Tamaki, we have suffered this irritation for long enough. Attack the bodyguard, then kill the girl!"

"Understood!" the three responded, as they broke formation and charged towards me. I braced myself, adopting a basic defensive stance, ready to prove myself to my unwanted mistress.

Remilia stood in front of them, forming a wall with her outstretched wings. Folding her arms, she announced her intent. "I'm a youkai of my word, you fools. Because you have forced me, I shall lower myself to your level, if only to stain my hands with your blood."

"Don't be intimidated by her empty words! Knock her out of the way and get the Chinese devil!" Takashi shouted, swinging a shovel at Remilia.

Jumping back, Remilia dodged the blow, and sent my sprawling to the floor. "I appreciate your help," she said with her back to me, "but I just need you to observe right now, and understand just a fragment of the terror I can inflict." Her tone was… softer, if only by a slight bit. It appeared that she truly did have some degree of care for those who served her.

As she shot into the air, all eyes followed her ascent. As she returned to earth, however, eight of those eyes widened, shortly before she tore into her first target: The leader. Raking his head with her claws, she immediately made the odds more even. As she recovered from her first assault, the man she had struck began staggering around drunkenly, before falling to the ground.

The fall of one instantly weakened the resolve of three. Staring at the corpse, the three villagers suddenly forgot their earlier courage, threw down their weapons, and made a 'tactical retreat' from the mansion.

"You're not going to kill them, Mistress?" I asked, confused. She could clearly surpass them in speed and strength, so it was simply a matter of catching them and eliminating them.

"I could, if you want to dispose of four bodies, rather than one," Remilia replied, cleaning off her hands. "It would do me no good to anger the villagers by completely killing their little… invasion force. I might have a full-blown riot on my hands, which can only lead to a large mess that you have to clean up."

Her attitude towards me… It was completely different, as if she had become a different person. In just one day, she had changed from torturing and beating me to protecting and aiding me. Before I could stop myself… "Mistress, aren't you a sadist?"

Remilia froze, and turned to me slowly. "I would ask you to repeat that question, but I heard it perfectly. If you were any of my acquaintances, you wouldn't have a throat to reply. However, as you are my servant…" She sighed, and forced herself to look calm. "No. I enjoy the suffering of my enemies, and the testing of prospective subjects. I derive nothing but hatred from the sufferings of those under my protection, so long as the suffering is undeservedly inflicted by anyone other than me. I am not a true devil, nor am I a saint. I will not come to your aid if it does not suit me, nor well I let harm come to you if it does not benefit me. Under my protection, you must place my life and happiness above your own, and follow my commands even if they are impossible. I show no mercy to my enemies, and I commit no injustice against my allies. Remember that, and I won't be forced to discipline you."

Turning her back to me, she slowly began walking back towards the mansion, leaving me in awe. To have a mistress capable of such cruelty, and yet…

This was a strange country indeed.

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A/N: So ends the Meiling chapters. Finally.

I've... really wanted to end this part of the story for a while, but I wanted it to be good, you know?

It should lighten up a lot from here on out, as the next character isn't much of a fighter.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 9: A Simple Librarian​

Knowledge, Patchuoli.
Birth: Unknown Date, Human Village
Height: 4'4"
Weight: Undisclosed
Occupation: Librarian

Although these are only the basic facts, they are the most important.

As stated, my name is Patchouli Knowledge, chief librarian of the Human Village. Although many would find my occupation to be "boring" or "dull", my greatest joy in life is the organization, maintenance, and acquisition of knowledge. Though I know that I will never be able to attain it, my goal in life is to possess absolute knowledge of the world, a perfect database.

I have been living in the Human Village since my birth, a humble daughter of a farmer and a schoolteacher. Despite my father's efforts to educate me in the ways of growing and harvesting crops, my weak physical state prevented me from making practical use of my teachings. My mother, an incredible woman who wanted nothing more than to constantly learn and pass down her knowledge, then took charge of my education, teaching me the history, culture, and workings of Gensokyo. Because of this, it eventually became apparent that I was granted very high intelligence, which, thanks to my education, possessed potential far beyond what anyone would think capable of a human girl.

Perhaps that is one of the greatest ironies of my life, the fact that I was born in the Human Village. Despite my appearance, my intelligence and learning ability had reached levels that were very highly improbable for a human. This fact, coupled with my slightly unusual hair color, led many to believe that I was, in fact, a born magician, a youkai. Of course, this was correct. Though my parents were both human, it was possible, though not probable, that they could create a youkai.

Of course, the various winged and clawed species could not possibly be conceived by humans, but several less impressive varieties, such as me, were well within the scope of possibility.

Typically, this fact would mean either my expulsion or my death at the hands of the villagers, but I had been saved by one very important fact: I was more intelligent than most humans of the day could realistically hope to be.

Therefore, rather than punish me, I was prohibited from learning the magical arts, and I was forced into becoming a librarian, ironically it was the very position that I had hoped to attain.

However, I am by no means perfect, neither mentally nor physically. I am still young, having lived out only a fraction of my potential lifespan, which means that I have only learned a fraction of what I hope to. My youth clouds my judgment, a poor combination with my pride. Additionally, as fate giveth, so fate taketh away. As a price for all I have attained, I was cursed with a weak body, and, even crueler, I am forced to suffer this unholy combination of asthma and anemia, which limits my actions severely. However, through various herbs and (secretly learned) spells, I have managed to greatly reduce my ailments, turning a crippling curse into a large irritation.

Though this is only a small amount of the data that I possess on myself, it is, in this case, the most important. However, I do find the amount of times I have been able to successfully prepare meat almost as fascinating as the many names one could use for my shade of hair, though perhaps I possess a greater love for trivia than most.

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"Miss Patchouli, a few of the villagers went out to the border recently, and they say they found a lot of books from the outside world. Do you want to take a look?"

"Thank you, Michiko," I answered, smiling slightly at the thought of new works. "I would be very grateful if you would bring them to me." Clearing a space on my desk, I watched as Michiko emptied the contents of a sack onto my desk. Holy books, books on science, political essays, comedies, dramas… All of these were poured out before me, as a hunger that I had not felt in months gripped me.

Unlike hunger that the average human faces, my hunger cannot be satiated with simple proteins and calories. Instead, my hunger can only be satiated with knowledge, with the intake of new information. Once satiated, my hunger is replaced by a joy unmatched by any other, as a constant reminder about why I followed this path.

I am a bibliophile, one who lives to read, to learn. The arrival of new books is a rare occasion, especially because of the location of the Human Village. Because of this… I wanted nothing more than to begin reading immediately, to swallow these books whole.

"They're good, right?" Michiko asked, dragging me back to reality.

"Yes, Michiko. These books will add much to the library." Taking a deep breath, I added, "Thank you for your efforts, as always."

Michiko's life was perhaps even more unusual than my own. Aside from being a human under the care of a youkai, she was given to me as a gift, though I find it repulsive to think of an intelligent creature as a mere gift.

Several years ago, bandits from the scattered humans that lived outside the village threatened the village. Once all attempts at appeasement had failed, the village leaders were prepared to surrender to the barbarians, sacrificing everybody in the village to save themselves.

Once notified of the problem, I requested an audience with the village elder, promising him that I would be able to convince the bandits to abandon their plans and go elsewhere. After a long debate, he finally agreed to put me to the test.

As I approached the bandits, they believed that I was another bribe sent by the village elder. Ignoring their jeers and crude remarks, I approached the bandit leader, directing all my focus to the matter at hand.

"Go home, girl," the man had said, the grin of a brute present on his face. "I have told your leader that I will not be appeased by women of the village. Then again, if you're the best they have to offer; perhaps we would be doing the world a favor by removing you from the world."

Resisting the urge to rip the man's head from his shoulders, I bowed my head and replied, "I am merely a simple village girl sent to make one last attempt at negotiation. If it is not an inconvenience, I would like to discuss the matter with you immediately."

"Very well," the leader muttered, thinking it over. "As you are unarmed, and a woman, you shall not be harmed unnecessarily. However, if you try anything…"

"I understand completely. I come only to negotiate." Following the man into a small tent, I took a seat opposite him as a small table, which was covered in stains and bits of meat.

"The village must be desperate," the leader began, studying me closely. "After all, why else would they send a youkai to speak on their behalf? I'm not a fool, and your hair gives you away. Regardless, this is meant only to be a discussion, nothing more. My name is Takeshi, the God of Victory."

"Patchouli Knowledge, humble librarian," I answered, preparing my arguments. "Although I realize that the Human Village is prosperous and, therefore, perfectly ripe for a man of your trade, I am not sure if you realize what the destruction of the village would mean for the rest of Gensokyo, and even yourselves." I covered my mouth to stifle a cough, not wanting to show any form of weakness. Speaking for long periods of time never sat well with my lungs, and there was always a price to pay when I was finished.

"I'm interested. Continue."

I nervously shifted in my seat, taking a deep breath before continuing my speech. "The village is the first, last, and only settlement in Gensokyo. Should you destroy or weaken it, the youkai will have no reason to fear humans any longer. Though the higher youkai would realize that extinction of the humans would upset the balance of Gensokyo, the lower youkai would fail to see the consequences of a large massacring of humans. Because of this, society would be set back by millennia, returning to the era where humans lived in small groups, living in constant fear of the night. If left unchecked, humans could possibly be removed from Gensokyo entirely, causing the land to eventually die." Of course, this was only a worst-case scenario, but Takeshi did not need to know that.

"And what exactly does your grim prediction have to do with my men?" the leader asked, shocking me with his complete disregard for others. "All that will probably take centuries, and by then I'll be dead, as will the rest of my band. Humans can survive through anything, though I doubt an arrogant being like you would understand that. I'll give you one more chance to convince me, or else I will cut this discussion short, along with your hair. Your shameful appearance will be my reply, do you hear me?"

I unconsciously stroked my hair, and began wracking my brain for a way to win this argument. To have one's hair cut short was a source of shame, as long hair was a sign of status and authority. My hair had taken nearly a year to grow, and I shuddered at the thought of living in shame until it returned completely. I was putting more than my life on the line. I was betting my honor and dignity that I could move this mountain. It would be so much easier to strangle him, if only I could…

"But raiding the village will have a large impact on your immediate future, even if the future would be cut short." I was backed into a corner, and I was left with only my last card, my last weapon…

"What do you mean?" Takeshi asked, sounding unconvinced. "What are you babbling about now?"

"Just as they sent me here, the villagers are planning to ally themselves with some other… less than preferable creatures. You are familiar with the infamous vampire of the woods, correct?" I paused for effect.

"What the hell does she have to do with this conversation?" he replied, though his eyes told me that he knew the answer to his own question.

"The village is a major source of food, supplies, and news for Remilia," I answered, hoping that I had followed the correct path. "Should the village be destroyed, do you think she would react favorably to the destroyers? Despite the enmity between the two, the survival of the villagers benefits Remilia greatly, and she realizes that. Therefore, it would be foolish to believe that one could simply raze the village and escape retribution. Remilia neither forgives nor forgets, and you would be wise to remember that."

It was satisfying to watch this fool slowly turn completely pale, as the implication of my words sank in.

"Is this meant to be a threat?" he demanded, sounding much less confident than before. "Forget your hair, I will have your head! Do you understand me? Leave at once, before I forget my order to my men. If you want to live, get out of my sight!"

Unable to resist my smug feelings, I rose slowly, and smirked. "Compared to what Remilia will do to you, losing my life seems almost merciful." And with that, I left the tent, exited the camp, and strolled slowly back to the village.

Two hours later, as I was reading The Art of War in my home, one of the leaders of the village burst through my door, while a river of thanks flowed out of his mouth. He told me that the bandits had left without another word shortly after I had returned from their camp. In thanks, I was promised the next child to be born in the village. Though I wanted to refuse, I did not dare insult them by doing so.

Eight months later, a girl was born, and taken under my wing. Naming her Michiko in hopes that she would indeed be beautiful and wise, I allowed her to remain with her parents. However, I was to educate the child, and she would live with me as my apprentice once she reached the age of seven. Of course, she was allowed to do as she pleased when I did not need her.

Of course, the reason I needed her as my apprentice was because I planned to convert my home into the village library. Over the course of three years, I organized my large private collection of books, acquired new ones, and oversaw construction of new bookshelves, chairs, and desks. Michiko also worked tirelessly to assist me. I would develop ways to categorize the books, and she would shelve them in accordance with my instructions. When a library holds over one thousand books, shelving them all is not a small task.

Over time, she made her worth even more apparent, zealously working to expand the library by acquiring new works, while I expanded it by penning my own. If I was a human, I would have appointed her as my successor.

"Umm… excuse me, Miss Patchouli…"

She was still standing in the same place, waiting patiently for me to finish my journey to the past. With a gentle voice that I rarely ever used, I addressed her once more.

"Michiko, this is more than I could have expected. Once again, I thank you for what you have done. You are free to take the rest of the day off." I could feel a smile slowly take hold of my face, this time out of gratefulness and true joy, rather than just the greed for knowledge.

"Yes, ma'am," Michiko bowed, while struggling to restrain her obvious joy at being praised. "Thank you." Turning on her heels, Michiko practically flew out of the library, leaving me alone with my newest victims.

Looking down at the pile of books, I deliberated over which to begin first, an important decision, to say the least. As I was lost in though, my concentration was broken for the third time that day.

"You are Patchouli, correct?" a voice asked me, as a hooded figure approached my desk. I sighed, unhappy about being disturbed.

"Correct. Why do you ask?"

"My mistress requests your company. She wants to make a proposal."

"I have no reason to listen to an unnamed mistress of a person who will not even show their face to me. Leave my library at o-" *BANG*

The stranger cut me off by punching a large hole through my desk, narrowly missing my stack of papers by inches. In doing this, she accidentally gave away her identity.

"Hong Mei Ling, gate guard of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, I presume?" I responded coolly, trying to suppress the fear that I was feeling.

"Shut up or I'll put the next one through your head!" she shouted back, confirming my suspicions. "Listen, my mistress will be coming for you soon. Prepare yourself!" After her warning, she stormed out of my library, almost letting her hood fall off. Completely incompetent, as the reports indicated. My records were, as usual, perfect.

Thinking about the warning that I had just been given, I rose from my desk, books forgotten, and brewed myself a cup of tea. Sitting down again with a cup of perfectly made green tea, I began reviewing the day's events in my head. It had been a normal day, and I hadn't left the library in a while. Why would the Scarlet Devil want to see me now, of all times?

Unless…

I slipped my hand into my pocket, feeling the small scrap of paper that I had hidden. I looked around, checking to make sure that I was alone. Slowly removing the scrap from my pocket, I gazed at the incantation written on them, my eyes running over the old language.

The language of magic, the art I had been forbidden to learn.

However, I would not allow my talent and intelligence to be wasted by fools who cared only for their own skins. I bore no malice towards others, and I had no reason to use magic, so, as the mind often does, I was able to rationalize my sin. However, it was almost more unbearable to have learned magic, rather than to have simply obeyed the words of the humans. As a natural-born magician, magic was very natural for me. In fact, I was making rapid progress in the field, even making several discoveries.

Making discoveries that will never see the light of day, existing only in my mind. However, I would not dream of sacrificing my position as the village librarian for a life of magic, adventure, and chaos. My body would never forgive me.

I shook my head, refocusing myself yet again. If the Scarlet Devil had somehow found out about my secret… But that was paranoia. How could she have found discovered it? But those damned fairies of hers… Perhaps one of them had seen me?

No. That was paranoia, caused by guilt and confusion. There had to be another reason for the vampire wanting to see me. Perhaps she had just wanted to chat…

I laughed bitterly, amused that I had just wondered if Remilia simply wanted to chat. Despite her young appearance, Remilia always worked towards a goal, and worked towards it with utter cruelty and cunning. If she had set her sights on me…

Was she visiting as a friend or a foe? Mei Ling's behavior was no indication either way, as it was widely known that the gate guard was brutish, violent, and ridiculously short tempered.

Rubbing my temples with my free hand, I resumed sipping my tea. All the speculation in the world would do no good at this point, due to my lack of concrete information.

I am a humble librarian. Why the Scarlet Devil would visit me is a mystery. I looked forward to solving this mystery, as well the challenge it would bring.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 10: A Visit from the Devil​

"M-Miss Patchouli…?" My apprentice appeared at the door, looking slightly shaken. She was twiddling her thumbs, her eyes firmly glued to the floor.

"What is it, Michiko?" I forced myself to sound calm, restraining my emotions. "I gave you the rest of the day, you don't need to-"

"Are you… alright?" she asked softly, turning her gaze to the large hole in my desk. "I saw a hooded person walking out of your library, and…"

"Oh, don't worry. That was just a messenger from…" I stopped, realizing that it probably wouldn't be the best idea to give away the entire situation. "It was a messenger from one of the… more secretive dealers. I have to go to great lengths to obtain books, and not all of them are… completely legitimate." A lie, of course. However, being known as less than honest was much better than the alternative.

"Oh…" She nodded slowly, visibly hesitating, before asking, "Why is there a large hole in your desk?"

"Well… That's because things became less than friendly. The brute punched my desk in a fit of rage. That's why most youkai are to be avoided. Most of them are too simple to understand advanced concepts such as negotiation and reason."

Michiko nodded again, thinking to herself. She looked back down at the floor, and clenched her fists. Bringing her eyes up to mine, she suddenly blurt out, "That was the red-haired demon, wasn't it? She was frantically pulling her hood up, but her hair was visible! You're dealing with the… the…"

"Peace, Michiko!" I commanded, filling my voice with authority. "I was, in fact, visited by the gate guard. However, she merely came to warn me about… something. It is not for you to know. If you pry into my matters any further, I will make you see how truly terrifying my displeasure can be. Do you understand?"

Her face slowly transformed from a look of worry and respect to a look of slight defiance, one that I had never seen before.

"Miss Patchouli, if you would be so kind as to let me aid you…" Though her words were polite, her tone was slightly forceful, making me feel as if I had been ordered. Me! Ordered by my own apprentice!

"No, Michiko. I forbid you from accompanying me this time. Stay here and-"

"Patchouli, please! My entire life has been dependent on your whims and needs, your wants and your dreams. Because of chance, or perhaps fate, I am completely devoted to you. Allow me to accompany you in whatever you do, wherever you go. As your unwilling apprentice, you owe me that much." The submissive girl had faded almost entirely. In her place stood a girl who was torn between willfulness and respect, or perhaps in harmony with both of them. Her eyes clearly revealed her determination, with her clenched fists confirming the fact. In her mind, she would and could not be moved. Yet even a mountain must yield to time and patience. However, why waste a perfectly good mountain?

I pretended to deliberate for a few moments, but in reality, I had already made up my mind in the middle of her speech. "Very well, Michiko. I shall not exclude you from my plans. However, you must realize that I myself am unaware of what exactly is to come. In a short time, the mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion will pay me a visit, to discuss some unknown matter. If you want, you may be present at this discussion, but you are forbidden from speaking without my permission. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Miss Patchouli!" She answered strongly, grinning from ear to ear. "I will not disappoint you, ma'am!"

"I… should hope not. You are merely standing and listening. If you find a way to fail at that task, I will be impressed. Not… pleased, but impressed."

Laughing slightly at my attempt at humor, she gave me a deep bow, and exited my library once more. After all, I had given her the day off...

Perhaps this was a turn for the better. This girl, though I did care for her, would make a good pawn should I have need for one.

The next day arrived without any further surprises. Following my normal routine, I arose from my bed, dressed myself, combed my hair, and straightened my hat… all the normal things that a person of status must attend to.

Shaking off the last grips of drowsiness, I shuffled into my small kitchen, boiling some water for my morning cup of tea. Turning around to grab a cup, I suppressed a scream, frantically trying to calm myself down.

Standing before me, wearing a dress covered in fresh blood, was the fabled Scarlet Devil. The fact that she had arrived did not surprise me, but her manner of arrival…

"Go ahead, scream." She commanded, taking a step closer to me. "If you didn't, it would make all the preparations I took absolutely worthless. I've been staying here for hours, just waiting for this one moment. So… fill your lungs and let it out. I'm waiting."

I gritted my teeth, absolutely refusing to satisfy her. I would establish myself as her equal, denying her the upper hand when interacting with me.

"Your little servant girl didn't scream either, you know…" Remilia said casually, licking her fingers. "A pity, it's so much more fun when they do. Then again, she never even had the chance, though I suppose that's what ripping someone's throat out does to them…"

A look of horror spread across my face. This brute… Surely, she wouldn't go so far as to… But… Impossible… Would magic be justified in this situation…? But I had no chance of success… However…

My mind raced, as I took several deep breaths, planning my next course of action.

"Joking, joking. All I did was kill someone's cow on the way here. I always love to see people's faces when I do that, though. Most of them just rush as me, before finally realizing the fact that I'm-"

"Are you here to discuss something with me, or are you here to torment me, devil?"

"Both, and it's the Scarlet Devil, if you don't mind. Anyway, what was I here for…? Oh, yeah. Do you have a table where we can sit? You're servant is hiding in the closet, by the way. I covered her in blood in case you found her first, but she's perfectly okay, if not slightly scared."

Suddenly noticing the fact that my hands were in fists, I unclenched them, and turned my back on this horrible guest. "I'll… get something. Remain here… please."

I left the kitchen, closing the door behind me before sprinting to the library. Once there, I began looking through every one of the four closets in clockwise order. Upon opening the third one, I found a girl standing rigidly straight, smelling heavily of animal blood.

"Miss Patchouli…" she whimpered, sounding relieved to be alive, "I am sorry. I… I have shamed you, and I can't even follow my own demands, and… and…"

Pulling her out, I shook my head. "Dealing with Remilia is not easy. Even I have fallen for her cruel tricks. However, despite her sadistic personality, she is reasonable. Don't worry, Michiko. If you do not upset her, she will not kill a human."

Nodding slightly, Michiko wiped her face, before dragging herself to her room for a change of clothes. To pull such a cruel trick… I had to double my guard. I would not let this happen again.

Once that matter had been settled, I turned my attention to the other issue. Cleaning off a large table in the center of the library, I took the opportunity to carefully hide a few cloves of garlic underneath my chair. I had not expected them to work (Why would a being of such power be afraid of something as common as garlic?), but it was not possible to be overcautious.

Returning to the kitchen, I found Remilia leaning back in a chair and destroying a piece of fruit, savagely grinning as the juice dripped onto her already stained dress.

"Oh, you're ready?" she asked, jumping to her feet, and letting the chair fall to the floor. "I really didn't come for anything terribly important, just something small… But I make a point to deal with all matters personally. Anyway, lead the way."

Gathering up my courage, I turned my back to my foe and led her through the hall, into the library. Michiko had returned in my absence, face still stained with tears. Giving her an assuring look, I sat down at the prepared table, gesturing for Remilia to sit opposite me.

"Let's skip the pleasantries, and move straight to the central issue, shall we?" She placed her hands on the table, and maintained absolute eye contact with me. I would be foolish to break contact and submit to this predator. "Although it may not be as impressive as this, I keep a private library of a few very important books. Recently, a few have gone… missing. Mysteriously, they have also turned up in your library. What do you make of this?"

"I am unaware of this fact," I answered, thinking more rapidly than I had in a very long time. "If you can provide proof of your accusation, I would be delighted to help you recover your possessions. However, if you cannot, I beg you to understand that these books are all in my possession, and under my care. To my knowledge, they were all legitimately obtained (I had, in fact, been lying earlier), and I will not be scared into giving away my things. I eagerly await your proof."

"Proof? You think I write my name in the covers, or put some sort of seal on them? Some sort of little mark that lets people know exactly who they're stealing from? My possessions are mine, and nobody besides me has any right to even glance upon them. I am not obliged to give you proof of ownership, no more are you obliged to prove to me that you own every one of these books. Show me every work you have, and I will decide for myself whether or not it is mine."

"You take me for a fool?" I allowed my emotions to show themselves. I was infuriated by this insult, and I would not hide my fury. "You believe that I will allow you to simply take whatever interests you? Though this is a library, I do not lend books so freely. Many of these are meant only for minds such as my own, and many of these books rival even a living, breathing youkai in their power. I will not easily surrender my-"

"You'll do as you're told, or else I will be forced to change tactics. I always get what I want, and I will not let a librarian change that. Unless you want to literally die one thousand deaths, I suggest-"

"Never! If you want to threaten me, then so be it! But know that I will not stand for an offense against the one thing that I have dedicated my life to! This library will not be desecrated so long as I draw breath."

"So you're prepared to die for this library, even a permanent death that few of our kind can imagine?"

"I will take eternal pain over the loss of this library. A spoiled devil will not change that."

"Then let's end my little game, and move on to the real reason I am here. This isn't about any books that I... lied about you having stolen... No, Patchouli Knowledge, I will be honest. As a youkai, your skills impress me. Your information gathering skills, in addition to your respectable intelligence make me envious. You would do wonderfully under my service, and you will want for nothing. The humans forbid you from magic, correct? If you serve me, I will encourage your abilities. You will-"

"I refuse. I absolutely refuse your offer. To join you would mean the death of this library, a library which cannot be replaced, even by you. I have worked many years for this, and I have personally overseen its construction, and growth. Your offer does not so much as interest me. I am honored that you envy me, but I am afraid that you will have to remain envious. We are finished discussing this."

"You are absolutely certain?" Her voice sounded slightly shocked. She obviously was not used to being rejected. It was… satisfying to see this.

"I am absolutely certain. So long as this village lives, I am a part of it. I am a being of my word. I will not abandon this library."

"I don't make an offer like that so easily. In fact, you are the first to have received such an offer. However… Apparently, there are some things outside my grasp. Good day, Patchouli. And good luck. May fate smile upon you." Baring her fangs in a smile, she slowly stood and walked out of my library.

"And upon you as well," I replied. Looking over at Michiko, I could see that she was also grinning, a grin of pure joy, rather than malice.

"Miss Patchouli… That was amazing…"

I had bested the Scarlet Devil. I had won.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 11: Means to an End​

Rather than spend time congratulating myself, however, I instantly returned to work. There were several things which needed to be attended to, namely the sorting of the new books. I could not stray from this duty for even a moment. I had to focus…

In truth, I was working to distract myself. Though I had driven her away, the meeting with Remilia had slightly shaken me, one who is supposed to be as unmoving as a mountain. That fact alone emphasized the vast differences between us.

Michiko, even after the ordeal, remained resolute. She had practically demanded that I allow her to accompany me in anything else related to this matter. To have a servant that gives commands to her master… I would have to fix this as gently as I could.

Thankfully, the remaining hours of the day steadily slipped away, leaving me in peace. Once night had fallen, however…

"Pat- Err, Miss Patchouli, there's somebody here to see you!" Michiko's voice called out, as she stepped out from behind a bookshelf. One of the village leaders appeared behind her, looking around nervously.

"Thank you, Michiko. You may-" I noticed the look on her face, and couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence. Abusing my care for her… The scoundrel. "…bring the visitor a chair."

"Yes, Miss Patchouli," Michiko answered, looking slightly pleased with herself. Someone couldn't change so quickly. There had to be something to cause this…

"Patchouli, I… Umm…" The man looked slightly hesitant, clearly choosing his words as he sat down. "I've received reports that you've been seen talking with Remilia, and…"

Those words captured my attention instantly. So that was the issue. Rather than interrupt, I maintained my expression, and urged him to continue with a simple, "And…?"

"Well, actually, she decided to visit me only an hour ago, claiming she had just left your library. Though I know better than to trust the words of a youkai… Err, besides you of course… Her words could not be ignored. She told me that she had been discussing something fairly important with you, and…"

I would not wait for this fool to finish his pause. "She had visited me in an attempt to recruit me. I forcefully declined, as you could probably tell. I have no intention of-"

"Yes… Of course, but… She had made one thing very… clear to me. If she is even slightly truthful… You don't possess any spellbooks, do you?"

So this was her game. I silently cursed that demon, as a desire to stain my hands with her blood took hold of me. However, I had a more pressing matter at hand, of course.

"I do," I replied, narrowing my gaze. "Of course, I am forbidden from reading any of them. I believe those were the terms of the contract that I bound with the village, correct?"

"Well, yes… But the terms were that you were forbidden from learning any magic at all. And according to Remilia…"

"You trust the words of a vampire over the words of your trusted ally? A simple girl has intimidated you into doing exactly as you wish? If that is the case-"

"I am not being intimidated; I am merely trying to put my fears to rest. Patchouli, I ask you this for my sake: Are you breaking the terms of the agreement?"

"I am within my limits, I assure you," I responded, indignation entering into my words. "I am forbidden from learning magic, not passing it on to others. Additionally, I am not prohibited from owning magical items. Should you want to change the agreement, I would be more than happy to leave. One of you fools can manage my library."

"Patchouli, I wouldn't… Well… Don't jump to any conclusions…" He was squirming slightly. Perfect. Although I did not possess the ability to damage someone physically, the mind is far more vulnerable. "I meant to say that… The agreement was…" He stammered, looking for words.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, my next words would seal my fate. Holding the cup of foolish pride in my hands, I could not resist a taste.

"You are boring me. Leave my library immediately. You may return once you have actual evidence against me, but I will not waste my time watching a fool challenge someone far out of his league." I suppressed a smirk. Surely, that would silence him.

The man's face turned red, which emphasized the look of fury that was spreading across his face. I had accidentally darned myself by pushing him too far.

"So be it. The matter is closed." With those words, he slowly rose from his chair and turned on his heels, nearly punching holes in the wooden floor with his heavy footsteps.

Smacking myself on the forehead, I looked over to Michiko, whose eyes had turned into rice cakes. Her face was drained of color, and her mouth hung open in shock. Even her disturbingly cheerful manner from earlier had faded away. "Miss Patchouli…" she muttered, slowly recovering. "What did you…"

I sighed heavily, wondering what my next course of action would be. Because of my words, I would surely face consequences. Perhaps I would even be relieved of my duty, or be more closely watched…

I could not allow that to happen. I could not allow fools to tamper with knowledge and progress. In order to continue learning magic… No, in order to advance the study of magic… I would need to remove this restriction placed upon me.

This was exactly what Remilia had wanted. She had wanted me to follow this train of thought, to realize all of this, and yet… I could not give in to her. I refuse to let myself be manipulated by others.

Still… She had promised me the academic freedom that I had always desired. However, at the time (I use that phrase, though it had only been less than a day), I was unable to forsake my library, a library that I no longer wanted.

A librarian exists for the library, but the library exists only to house books. Therefore, if I was able to successfully transport the most important books…

I was letting myself become emotional, letting my judgment be clouded. Such a decision could not be made with anything besides a clear head. Before I decided on a definite course of action, I needed to calm down.

Turning to my aide, I forced myself to speak. "Michiko, what do you think our next course of action should be?"

My faithful assistant looked thrilled by this. "Ours, Miss Patchouli?" she repeated, grinning broadly. "I think our next course of action should be to…" She hesitated, looking at me for a moment. "Patchouli, do you think that this library will be okay?"

I snorted, though I detest the action. "Michiko, I believe that it would be best if we left this library as soon as possible. Surely, we cannot-"

"Patchouli, why are you so serious about this?" Michiko interrupted, before taking a seat in the open chair. "Is it so horrible toannoy one of the village leaders? I doubt that one man could oust the venerable village librarian. After all, they respected you enough to give you an apprentice, which I'm very thankful for, of course. And… recently, you seem to be slightly… more aggressive than usual in dealing with others…"

Had I? I… honestly hadn't noticed. Regardless of my current feelings, however, the opportunity had presented itself… "And you, Michiko, the usually docile underling… You too have become more outgoing and assertive, at a disturbingly rapid pace. Has anything happened to you in the last few days?"

I restrained a smile as I observed the look of shock on her face. I had chosen the correct point of attack.

"N-nothing has happened. I just wanted to… Why do you want to know, anyway? Is it really that important?"

Foolish girl, in saying that, you have lost. I never back down from a challenge, and I never shy away from a chance to discipline a subordinate.

"Michiko, I have known you since birth. Lying to me cannot achieve anything beneficial, and…" I paused for a moment, relishing the chance to deliver a line that I had found so often in books from the outside world.

"I have ways of making you talk."

Her eyes shrank to the size of two grains of rice, showing that she had thought that I was seriously going to harm her. "Well… It was a couple of days ago… Don't tell anybody, please, but… I was taking a walk in the woods, when a youkai rabbit stumbled out of the bushes, startling me. Without even an apology, the rabbit thrust a small vial into my hands, telling me 'A little present from Master Eirin. Don't tell her I was here, okay?'" Michiko paused, before dragging herself back to the present. "And… It didn't look harmless, and I was fairly thirsty, so I drank the entire thing. That might have been what had caused it…"

I ignored the last few sentences, focusing on the words of the rabbit. Eirin… The Lunarian? Why would Eirin have any interest in I disagreeistant? What did she hope to achieve…? Surely, this was just another incident of the laziness of lesser youkai. I almost had to pity the Lunarian. Good help was hard to find.

"Why would you do such a thing? To risk your very life for the sake of satisfying momentary curiosity…"

"But, Patchouli…" Michiko slowly brought her eyes up to mine. "If even half of the stories were true, weren't you much more-"

"Silence!" I cut her off, preventing her from saying another word. "This is no time to be discussing such matters! We must move as quickly as we can, for the sake of the library." I rose from the chair, knocking it over in my excitement. "It's time to start a new life, anyway. I grew tired of conforming to this village's regulations. Michiko, actually…" I paused, remembering something. "Because I am no longer in agreement with the contract that I bound with the village, you are no longer under my care. Therefore, everything you do from this point on is through your own freewill."

She laughed, shaking her head. "As it has been my entire life. If I wanted to leave, I would have left. And besides, I want to see the magic of a youkai firsthand. I know you've been learning it, and you wouldn't even show me…"

I had never doubted the fact that she would accompany me. Isn't that always the expected result when two people become close friends? The offer to leave is always a calculated, no-risk gamble in order to strengthen loyalty. Though I bore no malice towards her, this girl's mind was easily manipulated by one who knew her well.

"Very well. Bring only the spell books, and perhaps some of the reference books. We will have plenty of time to pursue art and pleasure later, so those books are unnecessary."

"Understood! But… Patchouli, where are we going to go?"

"You know the answer as well as I. In some cases, it is best to let yourself be manipulated if all other options lead to ruin. We're going to become servants of the Scarlet Devil, Michiko."

She nodded with determination, allowing youthful excitement to overcome her common sense. Perhaps I was doing the same. After all, I was still a child by youkai standards, and I was full of childish pride.

The library fell silent once again, save for the slight breeze blowing in through the opening. The two of us worked in solemn silence, speaking only when necessary. For many hours, we worked rapidly, selecting only the most important manuscripts, and carefully placing them inside the sacks that I had retrieved for this occasion.

Once the books were carefully selected, we worked towards preparing enough supplies for two days, in order to prepare for the unlikely even that we were rejected by Remilia. In that case, we would have no choice but to surrender ourselves back to the humans. Michiko would most likely be sternly reprimanded, I would be lucky to become a prisoner.

Once our sacks were full (Michiko carried the food and supplies, I carried the lighter sack of books), I decided to give Michiko what she had asked for: A demonstration of magic.

Before we left the library, I took the time to move the books into a sealed off area, protecting them from my next action. After all… Though I was leaving, I could not doom the village to ignorance.

Gathering up a large pile of wooden furniture inside the library, I gave Michiko a reassuring grin, before stretching my hands over the timber.

A sense of ecstasy washed over me as I readied my mind for this. The greatest bringer of joy…

"Sun Sign…" I began, drawing in air, taking in my surroundings…

"ROYAL FLARE!"

At my words, the pile burst into flames, giving me less than five minutes to leave the building before I was knocked unconscious by the heat. I nodded to my companion, and the two of us stepped out of the library for the last time. We had, quite literally, burned our bridges.

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 12: An Effortless Escape​

Our departure from the village was swift. Making every effort to look casual, Michiko and I made our way through the various buildings and pathways until we had finally reached the edge of the settlement. Just as we were going to take a short break, a large pillar of smoke began to rise up from the center of the village, quickly changing my mind.

"Michiko, there's no time to rest. We must distance ourselves from this place as soon as possible, before our true intent is discovered. We can rest once we are far enough inside the forest."

Panting heavily, she turned to me and nodded. Was the bag really that heavy…? The poor girl was covered in sweat, clearly as out of shape as I was.

"Once we reach the forest, we can eat. That should lighten your load considerably. On second thought… I suppose we could take a short rest here, and-"

"No, I'll be alright… It'd be better if we don't get caught, right? And if we were to disappear without being seen, wouldn't that just make people think that we died during the fire?"

"I don't want my apprentice to collapse during our escape, though. If you a momentary respite…"

"I'm fine, Patchouli. I can keep going. We need to get to the Scarlet Devil Mansion soon, right? Let's keep moving."

I opened my mouth to argue, but thought logically about the situation, and decided to stay silent. After all, if her mind was made up, I would make her use more energy arguing with me than we would save by resting. She had decided, and we would continue on.

We had traveled through the woods without incident, and we had arrived at the lake near the mansion with many hours to spare. Michiko's load had been lightened considerably, as we were eating more than was wise, consuming roughly four thirds of a day's rations. Although I told myself that it was for Michiko's sake, I could not deny the fact that my hunger outweighed my self-restraint. Should we need food on the way back… I was almost too afraid to imagine what horrid things we would have to eat…

"We're almost there, Patchouli! There's the lake, and you can see the silhouette of the mansion in the background, and… It's so… Wow…" Michiko's excitement turned to awe as she took in the view ahead of us. I could not help but join her in her gawking. The mansion was indeed very impressive.

I had seen paintings of the building in the past, works from many different eras by many different artists. Because of its appearance, and mostly because of its mistress, the mansion was a popular subject for artists of the village. Having seen many of them, I was almost able to picture the structure in my mind's eye.

However, my image was dwarfed by the giant structure in front of me, an edifice so large that it was almost a castle. Something much larger than the paintings, descriptions, and stories portrayed.

Clearly, the mansion had changed in the century following the book that described it. It was no longer a mansion… It was a fortress.

"That's… not the Scarlet Devil Mansion, is it? It has to be something else… I've never seen something so big…" Michiko babbled next to me, her eyes still remarkably wide.

"We should take another rest for the time being. Once we are finished, we will decide what we will do next." I let my legs fold underneath me, as I fell onto the grass surrounding the lake, and breathed in the beauty that surrounded me. However, once I had observed my surroundings, I began to feel a small pang of worry, as if a sixth sense was warning me of impending danger.

Michiko followed my lead, dropping her sacks onto the grass, before letting gravity take its hold over her. I blocked out her excited chatter, deep in concentration. This lake was too still, to perfect. Surely, there had to be some reason for this. Something must have been maintaining this unnatural peacefulness.

Suddenly, my concentration was broken as something flashed across my field of vision. A streak of blue tainted the landscape in front of me, before vanishing again. It was too small to be a youkai, or even a bird. In fact, judging by its size…

I snorted, unable to believe that a simple fairy had caused me to worry so. However… It was much better to worry for naught over a small, inconsequential creature than to have ones worries be valid. I sighed with relief, and turned my attention back to relaxation.

"…PATCHOULI!" Michiko screamed, causing me to jump. "Are you okay? I've been trying to get your attention! I was about to poke you if you didn't answer… Is there something there?" Her face was covered with concern, most likely as a result of my negative aura interfering with hers.

"It's fine, I was needlessly worried," I answered, trying to calm her. "It shouldn't be much farther. Judging by the size of the silhouette, the mansion should only take about… thirty minutes to reach."

"If you say so… I'm ready to go now, so if you want to-" She stopped mid-sentence, just as she was leaning over to remove something else from the sack. Shaking slightly, she pulled herself back into a sitting position, and turned to me. Her face was a mixture of shock and rage.

"Something… One of the fairies… Someone… Our food is…" She took a deep breath, trying to recover from her stumbling. "Somebody stole our food, Patchouli! Someone or something… They took the entire bag!"

I could feel a knot forming in my stomach, as panic began welling up inside me. "And what about the rest of our things? Are the books still there? The supplies?" To be worrying about food, of all things… Foolish girl! What mattered most was the books, the knowledge! Without them, I would be… I would not let my life's work be for naught!

"They're both gone…" Michiko answered, struggling to keep herself composed. "I had only turned away for a moment, and…"

Sorrow and pity would do no good. At that moment, I wanted only revenge, to torture the culprit in the worst way I could imagine. My victim would curse my intelligence and imagination, I would ensure it.

"Silence!" I shouted, holding my head. I needed this thing to be quiet, so I could focus…

As Michiko fell silent, a large crunching noise could be heard in the distance, followed by the sound of someone smacking their food. A disgusting habit, to say the least.

Gesturing to Michiko, I carefully crept towards the noise, as my companion followed me. As the sounds became louder, we both stopped, listening for anything that might help us defeat our foe. With extreme caution, I moved aside a branch which blocked my view, as a twisted smile spread across my face. Apparently, the culprit had retreated into a small clearing in the woods, enjoying her ill-gotten gains in peace. A peace I would joyfully shatter.

Placing a finger on my lips, I instructed Michiko, in hushed tones, to stay concealed for the moment. Silently walking around the circle of trees that surrounded my target, I placed myself immediately behind her, guaranteeing me the element of surprise.

The thief was a fairy, one that was even noisier than usual. She had small, barely noticeable ice wings (or were they glass…?), which complemented her short, dark blue hair. She was wearing a dress so small that she could have stolen it from a little girl's doll. From her hair, wings, and clothing, it was highly obvious that she was an ice fairy. Something I could burn quickly without remorse.

"What idiots, to leave their stuff out in the open…" She was still unaware of my presence. "Serves them right. It's survival of the strongest, and I'm the one who survives! That's because I'm the ruler of this lake, thanks to my great power! It's their fault… They're idiots…"

Perhaps physical pain would not be needed here… In fact, I had no intention of becoming a brute. I would punish this creature in my own unique manner.

"Survival of the fittest, actually…" I corrected, stepping out from the trees. At my voice, she let out a small shriek, before spinning around to face me.

"Who cares what it is? The point is, I'm the strongest! Only a human would care about something so stupid as one word."

"Only a fairy would be so proud about robbing a pair of innocent travelers while their backs were turned. Additionally, isn't it quite stupid to call a youkai a human? Perhaps you would like me to send you into oblivion?"

"Wh-what are you talking about? This food is mine, and I just want to eat it by myself! Go away, or I'll freeze you!"

"Loudmouthed brat…" I muttered under my breath. This thing was straining my patience. "Do you even remember who you stole from? What they looked like?"

"I didn't steal this from anyone, so how can I remember what a person looked like if they don't exist?" She screamed in reply, stomping her tiny feet. "Let me eat! Go away!"

I advanced slowly, straightening out my back to emphasize the difference in height. "If you have a right to that food because you were stronger than your victim, than wouldn't I have a right to claim it if I were stronger than you?"

"Shut up! Stop being so confusing!" She shouted, holding her head. So far, I was succeeding in my plan. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

I walked past her, pushing her out of my way. Ignoring her protests, I bent over, and picked up the sack containing our supplies. Quickly inspecting it, I noticed that only the food had been seriously damaged, but the bag had clearly been roughly searched.

"If I took this from you, and you failed to stop me, you are not the strongest. I would be the strongest. Do you understand?"

"No! Shut up! Stop being so weird, and leave me aloooooone!"

"Therefore, I am the strongest. You are nothing but an insignificant fairy, one of the weakest beings in Gensokyo. You are a living testament to failure. If you are stronger than me, prove it by preventing me from taking your things." Picking up the bag containing my books, I threw that over my shoulder as well, and triumphantly continued on through the clearing, exiting near the area I had left Michiko. Turning to my partner, I savored the look of stunned admiration on her face.

"Carry this sack for me, Michiko. I don't have the strength to carry everything. To avoid a nuisance, we should leave before the fairy recovers from her confusion… She should forget about us by the end of the hour."

Nodding, with her mouth still wide open, Michiko took the sack of supplies.

"That was… amazing… I mean, it was only a fairy, but…"

"It was much more merciful than what I had planned, although it used more of our time. Come, Michiko, we don't have that much farther to go."

Returning once again to the shores of the lake, we resumed our journey. Our food had mostly been eaten or ruined, leaving us with no choice but to stay at least one night at the mansion. Most of our supplies, such as blankets, tarp, umbrellas, and bandages were only slightly damaged, allowing us to wander for a few more days if we were not welcomed. Either way, returning to the village so soon after leaving would mean death for me, making it the least desirable option by far. Eventually, the sun vanished from the sky, as the afternoon faded into evening.

Shortly after night had fallen, we were within one hundred feet of the gates of the mansion, with only a stretch of dirt separating us from our new lives. I could feel a rush of relief swell up inside me, but contained it. I was not yet certain of our success.

"You two! State your names, and purpose!" A figure moved in front of the gates, slightly illuminated by the moonlight. From the voice, it could only be Hong Mei Ling, the brute.

"My name, as you should know, is Patchouli Knowledge, arriving with my companion, Michiko. If you want to know my purpose, ask Remilia yourself."

Mei Ling muttered something under her breath, doing a very poor job of keeping it quiet. "Alright, I will believe you, 'Patchouli.' However, I was given no notice of your visit. I'll need to ask Remilia before I can let you in. If you will wait here, I will go and ask her."

"Very well. Go ask your mistress. Bring her here, actually. I would like to speak with her."

"Right, right. Just wait here!" She replied, before walking back towards the mansion.

Ignoring her command, I took a few steps forward and examined the gate. As expected, it was unlocked. After looking around for any signs of a trap, I pushed the gate open, motioning for Michiko to follow.

"But she said to wait. I don't think we should-"

"She will probably leave us out here to die. If we want to see Remilia, we must go ourselves. The gate guard isn't too hard to read."

"Although you're not exactly that difficult yourself." Against the darkness, I could see large wings open up on either side of a shorter figure. "You're much smarter than I initially believed, rethinking my offer."

 

[Shanghai Alice]

Chapter 13: Decisions​

I took an involuntary step back, while resisting the natural urge to turn tail and flee. All of my efforts… All of our efforts... They would all be for naught if I gave up now.

"Only a fool seeks to oppose the chains of fate," I responded, torn between apprehension and satisfaction.

"Sometimes fate needs a little help. After all, what's the point of waiting ten years for you to finally realize something that, with my help, you've come to understand much sooner?"

So shameless… "I didn't come because you called me," I shot back, irritated over her gloating. "It would have been pointless for me to allow my intellect to be stifled. I merely came because I no longer wanted to suffer under a one-sided pact."

Remilia snorted, moving closer. "Patchouli Knowledge, I merely made you an offer which you accepted. Obviously, we both understand that." She paused for a moment, and then added, "If you want to stand outside and agree with me, I can't stop you. But I think you'd rather come inside after your walk."

Her calm response angered me more than any insult. She was so clearly toying with me… However… I could not allow our efforts to go to waste… Or so I told myself. In all honesty, I would not allow this vampire to intimidate me. My pride would not allow it.

"I am grateful for your generosity and warm hospitality. Come, Michiko, before we make our host wait." Following the Scarlet Devil as she led the way, I motioned for my companion to do the same.

Once we had entered the building itself, I was again reminded of how large the mansion truly was. I found myself standing in an expansive hall, which was filled with works of art, portraits which appeared to be immeasurably old, suits of armor…

It was as if I had fallen straight into a novel from the outside world.

"Not one for originality, is she?" Michiko muttered, reminding me of her presence, and pulling me out of my daze.

"No, not really," Remilia responded, causing Michiko to jump three feet into the air. Apparently, vampires had sharper ears than I had expected "Then again, I don't think there are many others who would actually get the joke. All the more reason to recruit you, then." She took a few seconds wait for a response which was never formed. After a moment of silence, she asked us, "Are you hungry? The fairies prepared some food, and I would love for you two to join me."

Her friendliness unnerved me more than I liked to admit. Obviously, she was planning something unpleasant for the both of us. But, even knowing this…

"We would be very grateful if you would let us accompany you, Remilia."

She assumed her infamous grin, and motioned forward. "Then follow me to the dining room. I'll personally kill the cooks myself if they don't satisfy you." She widened her grin, before turning her back to us.

"Are you… sure about this, Patchouli?" Michiko asked nervously, her eyes full of worry. Surely, my face showed a similar emotion, betraying my uneasiness.

"Though this girl seems to possess multiple personalities… We have nowhere to go. I pray that she is merely playing games, but… Remain strong, Michiko. I am by your side." I struggled to inject confidence in my voice, which was fairly difficult. From the moment we had entered the mansion, I began to doubt my decision to come here. Remilia seemed to be toying with us again, or she may actually be insane. Either way… She appeared to be enjoying the part of the villain.

"My patience begins to wear thin once I am hungry, so it would be best if you were to hurry!" Remilia called out from the room to our right.

Michiko and I nodded to each other, and did as we were told.

I have already stated that the interior of the mansion was fairly impressive, so, to avoid needless repetition, I will skip my first impression of the dining room.

A large, rectangular table filled the center of the room. Several chairs lined each side, as if this mansion was home to an entire army. However, only two chairs towards the center of the table were occupied. Remilia Scarlet and Hong Mei Ling were seated side-by-side. I swallowed a lump in my throat, and glanced over my shoulder to make sure that my apprentice had not disappeared.

"You!" Mei Ling shouted, knocking over her glass as she saw me. "You lying scoundrel! When I told you to wait for my return, I… I meant it! Don't think that I will let this go unpunished!"

"You can form a coherent sentence after all… It appears I severely underestimated you, Hong Mei Ling. Your vocabulary cannot compensate for the fact that you are a brute who is driven only by her base emotions. In short-"

"Are you calling me an idiot? Just because you're a librarian… My brawn only supplants my brains, you know!"

"As I can see… I wouldn't possibly expect you to supplement your barbarism with anything resembling intelligence." I couldn't help but act smug. This girl was clearly in need of a healthy reminder of where she stood.

"Remilia may be impressed with your cocky attitude, but I'm not going to endure any more of your insults! Choose your next words carefully, or-"

"Can I interrupt your conversation?" Remilia broke in, visibly irritated. "My next words are simple: You two, shut up and sit down."

Ignoring the violent gesture that Mei Ling was making, I moved across the hall, and sat opposite Remilia, leaving Michiko the space in front of the Chinese girl.

"Now that we're all seated, I would like to address the reason you are here in a more formal manner," Remilia began, wiping her mouth with her hand. "Like I've said, I want you two to be my servants. More specifically, you will be my librarians, and Patchouli will be my magician. Because you have left the village, you really don't have any other choice."

"That much is clear to me," I answered, looking down at the meal in front of me. "I have been wondering, however… What use would you have for a librarian? I don't imagine that your fairies can read, so I don't understand the purpose."

"My books tend to go missing every now and then. My personal collection contains many things that would be disastrous in the… Umm… In the right hands. As a powerful being, it is only natural for me to want to protect my things, isn't it? So… By protecting the library and becoming its keeper, you will be a librarian in the fullest sense of the word. A nice change from the tedious task of collection and sorting random books, isn't it?"

"You have a gate guard. I don't see the need for another watchdog."

"Mei Ling can only protect me from normal threats. Humans, mobs, lower youkai, things like that. I need someone who can stop the damned magic users from breaking into my house!" She sighed, and took a deep breath. "I'm not asking you to guard my gates. I'm not asking you to regularly risk your life for me. I'm simply asking you to take care of the library, and protect it. You don't really have much of a choice in this matter, so it would be best if you would simply cooperate."

I moved my attention to Mei Ling, who was busy muttering under her breath. I then looked at the girl next to me, who was viciously attacking the food in front of her, making a careful effort to remain outside the conversation.

"And my companion? What will she do? The girl cannot use magic, nor can she fight."

"She's the one who gets the books, right? I need someone to expand my library. She can buy books from the village or something. Just make her do what she's been doing."

A nice offer… I would be foolish to decline it. "I accept your offer, Remilia Scarlet."

"Mistress!" Hong Mei Ling broke in, "How can you be so kind to her? You put me through a living hell when I had first arrived! And she even has a human girl! This is… You can't…"

"Silence! I'll do what I please! Also, her head is not as thick as yours, so I need to be a bit gentler when dealing with her. You, on the other hand, were very fun to play with. Or… who knows. Maybe I'm just softening up. But don't worry, I'll keep her in line…" She grinned at me as she spoke the last phrase. "In fact, I'm almost waiting for you to mess up. That's the fun part."

A shiver went down my spine.

The rest of the meal was spent discussing pointless things such as where I would stay, or when I was to wake up each morning. Completely irrelevant to the current subject.

Once dinner had concluded, we all went our separate ways. Michiko and I made our way through the halls and stairways, eventually finding our rooms on the second floor. Our rooms (Which were adjacent to each other) sat immediately above the library, which meant they were relatively close to the main hall.

Deciding that it would be better to examine my new library in the morning, I bade my friend a good night, and shuffled into my room.

Contrary to my grand expectations, my living quarters consisted only of a bed, a chair, a closet, a bathroom, and a mirror. The walls, which were a dark purple, were absolutely bare. Still, even these basic amenities were a large improvement over the small, cramped library in the village.

Removing my robes, I fell into the chair with a heavy sigh. I could barely remember what had happened the day before, as my head was filled with more recent events. To have my life changed in so short a time… To gamble years of peace and knowledge for a life of magic and danger…

I was unsure of how to feel about my decision. I could only hope that my choices were for the better. If I returned to the my former home, I would surely be killed.