Marisa smiled the brightest of smiles. She waved at them as she ran up excitedly. Then, she extended her arm to shake Suika's hand.

"Hey Suika!" she said. "Long time no see!"

At the time, Grimnr didn't notice anything wrong. Everything up to this point seemed normal (or as close to normal as it could be, since this was Gensokyo, after all). He couldn't see Marisa as anything but a cheerful ordinary magician.

"Marisa!" cried the Oni. "What are you and that one doing here?"

Suika raised her arm towards Alice. He frowned. Don't point at Alice like that. It's rude.

"W-well... t-that is..."

Suddenly, an icy voice interrupted her.

"Hey Marisa," whispers Alice. "Why the stuttering? Just yell at her like you always do. 'Bitch, get out of the way!' Like that."

The dollmaker narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"Don't tell me that 'We'll be in for it if she gets mad!'," she said coldly. "I don't think that we can just walk away, now that we -"

Grimnr turned back toward Marisa, and his eyes widened in shock. Neither Suika nor Alice have noticed it yet, but there was no mistaking it. Marisa's mini-Hakkero was already in her hand. With a calm expression, she slowly raised it right at Suika's face.

"Magicannon, ?Final Spark?" she declared, a bright smile upon her face.

As the world turned white, he stepped back. But he knew that it was already too late. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact. And then, without warning,

He fell.

...

He can't remember the details, but by the time he stopped falling, he was already sitting in a cozy armchair in front of another familiar face. His head was still spinning violently, and he felt like vomitting. Across from him, the other person put down her teacup and gave him a tiny smile. There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the room.

"Would you like to have some tea?" she asked.

"..."

"With me," she added, perhaps as an afterthought.

Sitting in front of him was the third troublesome blonde that was missing from his current predicament. The Youkai of Boundaries: Yukari Yakumo. Strangely enough, she doesn't seem to be the cause of his trouble. This time, at least.

"..."

Slowly, he looked down to see a small tray upon a tea table. Upon it were some teacups and sweet biscuits. He gave the girl a questioning glance.

"There isn't anything strange in it," she answered.

"I never asked," he said with a smile.

"Of course you didn't," said the girl with a smile that mirrored his.

He carefully took the teacup to his lips, sipping slowly. This tea...

"Earl Grey?" he asked.

"The finest blend in London, 1845," she answered.

"1845? But this isn't wine," he said.

"That's the year it came from," she said. "1845, fresh."

"Is that so?"

He took another sip. It really is a fine blend.

...

Peaceful.

He never expected it, but that was the only word he could use to describe the time that he had spent with her. They stayed together like that, sitting and talking. Sitting across from each other, a comfortable and safe distance. Talking about nothing important, nothing serious. Everyday things and everyday thoughts.

In that quiet little sitting room, he felt that time stood still. He could hear the sound of her cup hitting the saucer as she put down her tea. He felt her looking at him with gentle, unhurried eyes. He saw her smile at him simply, without a trace of malice.

And he smiled back.

...

Everything was still a mess when they returned, of course. Somehow, the place had turned into a massive battlefield. Yukari disappeared with a wink, giving him a look that said, "You can clean up your own mess." So the rest of the evening was spent trying to do exactly that, though for the most part, it didn't go as planned.

"Haa..."

Grimnr looks up from his bed, staring at the ceiling as he collects his thoughts. His head is starting to clear up, and the numbness in his legs is starting to disappear.

For some reason, he can't sleep.

Slowly, he gets up. A walk would be nice. The night air would definitely do him some good. After stretching his arms and legs a few times, he prepares to head outside.

[ ] It would be nice to bump into Alice.
[ ] It would be nice to bump into Marisa.
[ ] It would be nice to bump into Yukari.
[ ] It would be nice to have the evening to myself.
[ ] Custom