Renkoquest DX (1/?): Folly of The Introverts

"Wow, you have a lot of mementos! Are they really all yours?"

Renko takes a cursory glance around the small settlement with the same enthusiasm she's held since she's arrived, leaving her meager hand-bound belongings by the front door in her state of genuine awe. Alice is taken aback slightly by how consistently forward this new guest to Gensokyo seems to have been, almost alienatingly so, but she can't just turn her away now. Navigating your way through the Forest of Magic under the shroud of impending darkness was no easy feat for a lone newcomer. This girl hardly had much more on her than a briefcase full of papers!

Alice wanted to know more and couldn't risk fumbling this chance. Lucky enough for her, neither could Renko.

She tries to think back on the last time she had any manner of proper "guest" over, but the amount of time since then alone makes her flush with embarrassment. Renko continues wandering within as Alice lingers in the doorway for a moment to compose herself. "W-Well, yes, of course. I could point out a few that were gifts actually, but..."

"Your novel selection isn't that bad either, pretty dated from where I'm standing though!"

"I'm sure..." With the door shut behind her, a quick flick of her wrists gets a few nearby hidden dolls to work on some light snacks for the young human. Renko nearly asks if some of the tomes are originals before her attention is caught by the varying glints of the strings woven throughout the space around her. She almost mistook them for spider's silk. The moving dolls attached are one thing, she had seen one practicing with a razorblade in the front yard earlier, but witnessing the mechanics of it all more closely while indoors was something else. Her internal radar for common sense hadn't stopped going haywire since she'd step foot into this land, and she still wasn't sure how to fully feel over it being on her own.

"So you control them all through the rings on your fingertips? Did you place every single one of those strings yourself, or is this...ancient sorcery..?"

Renko is crouched low to the ground, nearly on the floor as she closely observes an innocent Shanghai walk by with a plate for tea. Renko's breathing slows for a moment at the sight before she decides to give a hesitant wave. The doll also slows down briefly to wave back before silently continuing on. Alice chuckles, both at the sight of this and at Renko's comment over her "sorcery". She recalls a time long ago when she looked upon such studies with a similar innocent curiosity. Maybe not so long to Alice, but she knew from where she was standing that this human hasn't seen nearly as much as she has.

Yet here she was, and there Alice was suddenly feeling self conscious again. She should actually answer that question instead of just standing around.

"Excuse me for laughing, it really has been a small while since I've been around anyone who isn't used to my magic."

"I can't remember the last time I've seen this much natural vegetation outside of any reserves!"

The two smile warmly before Alice breaks eye contact.

"Anyways, I do manually thread these strings to my various dolls during raw assembly but they are further reinforced & can only be fully utilized through my spellcasting. I have an innate connection to each of them emotionally I've worked hard to excel at and they can feel various forms of my intent through the strings in return. As long as I'm near, I can help them and they can help me. Not a lot of people take it this seriously, but I strongly believe each one of my precious little dolls are more alive than others may reali-"

Snapping back into attentive lucidity, Alice opens her eyes to see Renko has now idly picked up a flustered Shanghai with little hesitation. It cries out meekly as the college girl flips it over & around in her hands, staring intensely, trying to find the impossible magic seals these strings must attach to. Surely a doll of all things she could logistic her way through in this humble antiquated dwelling, even if she couldn't hold on to the strings themselves very well for some reason.

Alice is stunned, frozen at the sight of how brazen this girl is. That's one of her favorite Shanghais she's handling! Where did the common decency of being a houseguest go in such a short time? In this moment, Alice wasn't quite sure if she should've started giving this girl "The Business" or not, but she quickly remembered how she really did seriously want to keep trying with this stranger...
for some reason.

Could she really keep to herself and her dolls this much anyways? Possibly forever..? The heavy weight of a potential full return to typical lonesome solitude loomed over Alice's tempering emotions. She could do this, she had to try.

The few other scattered dolls were awaiting commands in uneasy silence, Renko having even stopped her fiddling upon fully looking over the state of her gracious host.

"Oh...oh!" The young lady keeps looking between the dazed doll and its owner. "I'm sorry! Of course, this is your life's work, I-I shouldn't-" She wastes little time setting it back down, excited enthusiasm rapidly draining while quickly being replaced by unfettered bashfulness.
Renko knows how to keep her composure, she's just been a little eager, that's all...

Alice takes a deep breath before fully cooling off. "You're alright, I've seen worse first impressions...seems like you still understand things somewhat." Timid clattering echoes from the coffee table as the snacks finish being set, one of the dolls attempting to kindle the fireplace solo until Alice strides over to assist. "You're welcome to sit down. Relax a little, huh?"

She's smiling at Renko as she gently takes her place on the couch, gesturing to the other seats. Renko simply stands her ground near the kitchen for a moment, clutching the strap of her handbag while she internally assesses things further through her trepidations. It's always helped her unwind somewhat during these awkward moments, even if she's had a friend or maybe an essay or two to normally bounce off of for some time now. This Alice girl seems just a little like Merry anyways, if only in how much potentially lies beneath that surface.

Isn't That where the allure of it all really came from?

Renko stares out the living room window into the starry night sky fully fading in, clearer & more defined than it ever could be within city smog. She'd have around 8 full hours of night to burn at most before potentially exploring further. Gensokyo has already offered so much, and this has barely been the surface of it all! Where would she even head next after leaving? Could any next encounter go this smoothly?

Furthermore, does she really need to be in this much of a rush in the first place..? When was her last moment of rest? Will she have the chance to rest again if she refuses?

The tensions in her shoulders ease a bit as she exhales, realizing she's been holding her breath and letting go of the strap.

"Jeez. Y'know, you seem awfully generous for someone so skilled in these dark arts. I've read that this place was filled to the brim with terrible horrors scattered throughout all this natural beauty, like a school of iridescent jellyfish ready to silently sting at any time..."

Renko takes her place a small distance away from Alice on the same couch, grabbing her briefcase & finally properly setting everything down nearby while she spoke. The girl assumed a fairly laid-back posture despite the tone to her words. Confidence, maybe? Alice could only look on in silence, wide-eyed at such comments and this human's sudden casually-close proximity. Who did she think she was here?

"Margatroid, was it? Tell me," Renko punctuating her words by assuredly reaching for a freshly-poured cup of tea. She playfully lifts it at an angle near her face, giving Alice a smug grin as she continues. "are You one of these horrible monsters I've heard so much about?"

She takes a slow sip of the drink, not used to the plain floral bitterness of the natural tea but desperately wanting to save face anyways during this moment of calling another's bluff. Swallowing while stifling a cough, she cocks an eyebrow at the Youkai Magician as her satisfied smile only deepens. Alice once again sits in shocked silence, shooting the nearby dolls on the table a brief nervous glace before gulping herself, clearing her throat in an attempt to air out the off-putting underlying tensions.

The clock ticks away, embers in the fireplace crackling apart a charred piece of wood, breeze rustling the treetops outside and stirring the inhabitants of the Forest to attention. "Well, that's...are you really..? It's a long, uh...that's to say, it's not exactly a..."

Renko seemingly hangs on every word. Is this outsider for real? The Magician can't tell if this is an interrogation or an invitation for something. Alice tries to get a solid mental grasp over how much she could potentially share in this moment but the thoughts lump up in her throat and start making her sweat & fidget. She really just wanted to try making friends for once! She wasn't exactly planning on...I mean, it's not like she hasn't brought humans, especially outsiders, in for...

Her mind goes blank. Ugh, that doesn't matter right now! Alice throws her hands up to the sides of her face and waves them around a bit to clear her thoughts with a huff. She can and Would show this human there was at least something, anything more to Youkai!
While they still had this time to spend at least.

"Miss...Usami?" Renko nods, having grabbed a small slice of cake to nibble in the meantime. "How old did you mention you were again?"

"...college-aged, early twenties. Why?"

"How old do you think I am by comparison exactly?"

She leaves Renko room to carefully consider how to answer, which the girl takes full advantage of.

A moment passes, Renko making a serious attempt to iron-out a few different possibilities in her head. Did Youkai have lifespans? Weren't they also spirits of various kinds themselves? How much longer could a Beast exist compared to a Human? A handful of decades, sure, easy. Even compared to the modern averages of the lifespans she's used to. Centuries perhaps then. Millennia even? But how could something like that possibly be sustained for so long..?
...could Alice really be a Beast?

"..."

Renko takes another bite of the cake before speaking.

"This is a trick question," she swallows, "...isn't it?"

"Eh??"

"I have little frame of reference to concretely state anything along those lines beyond surface-level judgements, so that would naturally lend itself to you giving me a surprising retort no matter what my answer is! You've already answered my previous question as much as you've needed to; you certainly aren't anything anyone from the Outside would consider 'average' in typical senses." She gives a cheeky wink as she finishes speaking.

Alice slowly stares off to the side at nothing in particular, trying her best to plainly settle herself through a deadpan with this girls attitude towards information gathering. It's certainly a far-cry from what she's used to with Marisa...

"...but I'm going to guess anyways and say...One Hundred Years! Am I close? Can something like that be true?? I know you're trying to trick me! You don't look any older than—"

Alice snaps out of her silence and bursts into laughter. 100 years?? She's hardly even close to pushing 75! For a moment, she thinks about the kind of future she could have with all that time and then some. It passes as she catches her breath however. One of many things she's known she must get used to is the concept of greater longevity. It was only natural, no use dwelling on things much at this point.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just...there is a fair bit to my past. You're right about that much. Take away more than 50 years or so however and I believe you'd be a bit closer to the real answer~"

Was this lady trying to tell Renko she could be old enough to be a mother? She really must be inhuman! Well...actually, maybe she should just let Alice explain things a little to hear some more. It was obvious enough she wasn't going to get by on her own assumptions.

"You certainly don't look too differently than me though." Renko's subconscious begins drifting back towards all the times she's tried to steer Merry away from Certain Paths. How much fluidity between these states could there even be...

"First of all, that's partially because I can be considered a type of Magician. Some of us do sport animalistic features, other types of...Youkai, that is. That shouldn't be hard to notice, but you're also unaware of the fact I actually wasn't so different from you at one point."

"You mean...Human?" She blinks a few times.

"Well sure, that's one facet to it at least." Alice takes a cool sip from her own glass and leans back into the cushions, relaxing as she begins to partially reminisce herself. "It's not as if I'm from Gensokyo itself either, but not in the exact same manner as yourself."

Now it was Renko's turn to go wide-eyed. These were Exactly the kinds of topics completely missing from her casual cultural zeitgeist! It takes no time at all for her to whip out a small notepad & pen. Alice's mouth twitches slightly at the display but she would continue for the girl nonetheless.

Alice would spend roughly the next hour of the evening sharing quite a few anecdotes she could still recall from throughout her life & childhood, as honestly as she could to a new face anyways. Stories of being reared in The Land of Demons & Angels feared by even the toughest of surface Youkai, studying under the attentive care of the very Goddess of the realm herself alongside her many faithful subordinates, completing her Grimoire as she came to grips with her fallen humanity and so on.

Renko would, of course, have twice as many immediate questions for the answers Alice could provide. How many realms even overlap within the greater landscape here? This is all different than/separate from Hell? How many Hells are there? What kind of influence could a God have with such a direct presence in the population? How many others from that realm does she still know? Mathematically speaking, where would you even begin breaking down the construction of all these semi-physical channels & throughways in the first place?

Alice, truthfully, could not or chose not to fully answer a small handful of these questions. Some were simply as much out of her grasp as they were for Renko, others spurred a bit more reflection than she may have initially anticipated. Growing up partially outside Makai for this long without keeping track of time much had caused a few of her memories to grow...Fuzzy. Especially anything potentially from before her earliest conversations with that Goddess. The transition to Gensokyo alone certainly wasn't an easy feat. When even was the last legitimate time she'd felt she had heard anything from Shinki beyond some fluke...could she even recognize the signs anymore?

Had it simply been too long for Alice to still be able to discern such messages?

During one of Renko's tangents on the potentials of harnessing quantum stability for transportation purposes through probability calculations, the Magician gets particularly lost in the last memory she has of seeing her supposed Grand Creator face-to-face.

The crystalline tiles of Pandæmonium stretched far above her, granulated illusory pillars glistening with the roaring flames of the nearby boiling waters. The way down was long & solemn, terror echoing throughout the cavernous landscape. A far more comparatively innocent Alice peers back over her shoulder with all her belongings in-tow after taking a few steps forward, only to see three pairs of perfectly-framed wings staring her down in silence from the palace's grand entryway. The wind was howling, her slow pattering joining the echoes. From where Alice was standing, she could gleam little remorse through Shinki's eyes and even less from Miss Yumeko. As far as she could tell, they had both seen her out that day with very little to offer. Maybe a doll or two could help make her trip to the other side feel a little less lonesome...there was an even longer road ahead of her now, after all.

Renko continued on with yet another inquiry. She just couldn't hesitate with such opportunity!

"...and if you are a type of demon now anyways, where are your little horns? What about a tail? Did you conceal them to blend in better around here or have they just not 'grown in' yet?"

Alice shoots Renko a side-eyed glance halfway between amusement and complete apathetic rejection. She knew this college girl meant well enough...for the most part. Has genuinely socializing with others always been this draining? It's not like she gets to talk about her past much with Marisa these days either. It all starts leaving her feeling worn and unsteady.

"It's not as if I ever claimed transformation magic was what I chose to specialize in. I figured that would've been clear enough by now..."

"Ah, yes. Well, never hurts to be thorough with these things anyways, eh? That's the Spirit of Science!" Renko wolfs down the last few bites of her cake and finishes the rest with her tea, nearly choking but managing to clear her throat in time. Fist to her strained chest, she flips her notebook closed for the evening and sets it back in her briefcase. Those freshly-penned notes would need their fair share of review at a later date.

"I do apologize if I've been a little forward here. Surely you would understand with how long you've been dedicated to your own craft. Feel free to correct me if I'm at all off the mark~!"

Alice seems to ease her emotions back to being just a bit more passive in the face of that remark. The two take a moment to observe the few dolls still lingering on the table. Three have gathered in a small pile near the sugar cubes to seemingly fall asleep together to the sounds of the slowly dying fire complimenting Alice's stories, the last one remaining silently sitting on the edge and staring off blankly. It suddenly looks back at the women on the couch, tilting its little head and gradually leaning back until its body limply flops onto the tabletop.

The two girls chuckle softly together before quietly watching the warm glow of the fireplace.

For some "modern" human, this Renko girl wasn't bad company. The extended silence began making Alice sweat however, the Youkai girl not even fully understanding why internally. Renko herself was simply savoring the moment, for as long as her current attentions would allow anyways. Alice raises herself briskly, getting the dolls to work on clearing away their dishes and wrapping things up for the night.

"Well then, I believe that's enough for this evening."

"Oh. I mean, I suppose I could retire for the night if you've shared what you wanted to."

"I've spoken on the matters as clearly as I've chosen to with you for now and simply understand you won't be here forever. Surely some rest ought to be in order for your Type at this hour. Feel free to correct me if I'm at all off that mark, hmm?"

Her tone is coy, yet stern. Renko's mouth quivers in open hesitation for a moment. Did Alice think she had just been getting wise with her?

"...you do have a valid argument there. Wouldn't want to undermine tomorrow too badly..."

Alice has nothing to say for a moment, standing quietly before she steps away to fetch Renko a hand-stitched quilt with an accompanying pillow without another word. The college girl insists she'll need little more than a lit candle to accompany her slumber on the couch as dolls dim the other lights, but Alice carefully tucks her in relative silence despite further protests. Renko did very little to put up physical resistance anyhow, it was quite comfy in that darkened space and Alice's small, strained smile seemed to provide some assurance. She plainly offered her regards to Renko before heading off to her room without looking back, bottom lip bitten in an attempt to stifle growing regrets.

Renko lay in silence as she watched Alice turn down the hall, hearing her boots walk up & into her room without slowing down. The Youkai girl didn't slam the door behind her but the silence quickly filling the living space could seem just as deafening. As far as Renko could tell, she was alone. The only other doll she could see now seemed to have its own space and there was little more to report in terms of Alice's various knick-knacks. If this had been any other typical nightly stay in the cottage of some relative she could easily drift off to sleep with little hesitation...

This obviously hadn't been any kind of world acclimated towards the Typical, however.

That woman…that…Youkai…how much of what Renko heard from her could she even begin to believe?

It seemed simple that a Human fully dedicated to magic long enough to shift could specialize in more non-violent ways to hone their craft…at least from how Alice explained the process for herself. It must all be on a case-by-case basis, broadly speaking that is. That would naturally explain the apparent diversity within the group, but not every Youkai began its life as a Human. This all still left the question of what exactly was being used for long term sustainment in the first place. Renko considered herself comfortable with her fair share of what few mysteries remained in life but she couldn't shake that foundational notion that there still had to be some way for the spiritually anomalous to be understood more concretely.

Just not in the same way as any currently mainstream unified theorems she's used to could suggest. How could one truly begin to move freely within this much raw uncertainty, let alone take full advantage of it all? All this real, tangible potential on display has boggled so much of her eager mind as it stands…

Renko suddenly lets out a small burp from what she ate. She blushes as she finally remembers to take off her hat for the night as well. She still appreciated Alice's given generosity. How couldn't she? Legitimate food & shelter on her first night; what were the odds! It's not like she'd remembered to bring much herself when it came to rations, regrettably so in hindsight. She's usually better prepared for these kinds of trips…

Come to think of it actually, Alice didn't have any of the solid foods offered during that discussion. She could've just already eaten before Renko's arrival but…she didn't mention much when it came to How she acquired ingredients for that food either. Mundane enough for most, maybe, but…

The foundation of the house creaks as it settles slightly. Renko stops breathing long enough to notice the whisper-quiet nighttime ambiance. She can't identify much beyond the glow of her lone candle, but at least the quilt was warm.

She's just a dollmaker, right? Youkai, definitely—Obviously, Renko!—, but she has a clear passion first-and-foremost that seems to pair perfectly with her studies. Even with her various apparent influences, Alice's focuses wouldn't be solely set on…Human Slaughter, or...consumption.

There's more to it than that, Right?

…The Realm of Demons. A place even the spirits around here stay cautious of. Renko gives a half-hearted chuckle to no one in particular at the brief mental image of Alice's magical band of puppets prancing around decaying holy sites, firing energy bullets and such, before the humor gives way to underlying dread over the unknowns of physically being beside something as powerful as a God in an environment rife with unseen horror. Merry kept seeing more & more outside of her dreams as time went on, could this be partially what that felt like? She wonders if Merry still remembers much from the last dream they shared together.

She'd have something to say here.

The young girl instinctually looks to her side, only to be greeted by darkness. She supposes she got used to having someone else in her room at nights with her time in the dorms, even if she knew the arrangement may not be long-term. It was at least nice to have a little chitchat or some assurance of safety away from home. But now, she was on her own. Far from anyone who knew of her. Was that really alright?

Renko began to look back on the few "executive decisions" she'd made leading up to her arrival in Gensokyo. Packing things in secret, gathering the right documents, waiting for a night Merry was elsewhere on the campus, the note she'd left her…

It seemed like Merry was drifting even further away from "herself" as of late, despite past efforts. The changes had been exponential for some time now anyways but recent events at Tanabatazaka had seriously pushed things. Just how long did she have until Merry was like Alice, and how badly could that end up?

She'd figured it was simple enough to make it seem as if she had just traveled eastbound to visit some family in Tokyo during curricular downtime, something she also thought when she first arrived in Nagano earlier that day.

If Merry was carving her own paths ahead, why couldn't she? Renko sighed, blew out her candle and rolled over. She hoped Merry would understand once she came back.

-

Stillness.

The Physicist's subconscious freely drifted through the layers of the cosmos, unshackled from physical tethers.

Beckoned, without a single word.

The young girl soon found herself in a vast expanse, seemingly deep within space, colliding nebulae washing over far above her until the sky was a dazzling mix of flickering stars & kaleidoscopic chaos.

A gridded surface to finally touch down upon presented itself, a neon checkerboard of pinks & greens stretching far and forming impossibly-large columns that towered above. Her footsteps immediately echoed around her as she continued idly walking forward. Inky darkness bathed the horizon in every direction.

Was she looking for something? Did she even know what she was doing here at all? A subtle, distant melody played on a classical piano began emanating throughout the cavernous expanse. It reverberated softly all around without any clear source, urging her forward explorations ever still.

Briefly looking down, the girl noticed she was in a high-quality specially-tailored suit. It paired exquisitely with one of her favorite ties & hats, but what could she be all gussied-up for in a place like this?

Renko took another wordless turn around the curving slopes of a nearby pillar.

That's when she saw her. "Merry?? What are You doing here?! Where are we? Is...is that really you..?" Renko felt a slight twinge of shame at that last inquiry but she had very few filters currently active, it quickly passed.

There was Merry, gracefully waltzing along to the continuous ephemeral ballad in the bliss of her own silence. She was donned in an incredibly frilly violet dress, something you'd see right out of some Edwardian gala. With a simple float & a turn, she greeted her friend like it was any other day of class.

"Oh please Renko, of course It's Me! Can't you recognize a Familiar Acquaintance when you've seen one?" Merry nonchalantly extended a hand to Renko, offering a dance. Renko simply stared back at her gently-floating companion for a moment.

Merry's expression was cool, collected. Expectant. Renko took her hand and began hovering along, but not before mentally acknowledging the silken ribbon currently wrapped around her mob cap. The curves of the bow bobbed every time Merry shifted her head, even slightly. She'd been wearing that...thing on-and-off since she'd somehow brought it back from Tanabatazaka… Renko still couldn't fully understand what made it so special to Merry.

"Well, it's just that we're usually a lot closer when you share your dreams with me is all. Physically speaking that is."

"Why do you think I had to Reach Out to you like this? I can't just head straight over to Tokyo in an instant you know, unlike Some people..."

"I wonder…" Renko drifted off in reminiscence for a moment, back to when getting to the lunar surface or exploring TORIFUNE all on their own felt that much more fresh & exciting. Merry continued to lead to the melody.

"That suit of yours fits you, physically speaking that is." She smiles innocently. "I'm sure the top isn't terribly constricting at the very least~"

Renko shoots fleeting daggers at Merry, blushing slightly & firmly gripping her hands as the young blonde chuckled sweetly. This was hardly the time for their usual diatribes!

"…though I can't believe you went with that brown-flannel dress for your little Excursion. You haven't worn that style in years..."

"That's because when we were still First Years you wouldn't stop telling me it made me look like someone's Grandfather! Wait…"

How did Merry know what she had changed into after arriving in Nagano?

"Renko, going to 'see family' on your own? In early October..? Don't think I didn't notice you also brought along that new Thesis Paper you've been workshopping for weeks now. How convenient of you to suddenly be able to focus on it off-campus, hmm?"

Renko felt her hands go slightly clammy as her body began to uncomfortably heat up, prickling from anxiety, pursed lips quivering. Merry always did have a way of sniffing out the truth but this was borderline Uncanny. Renko was sure her note would've—

"Are you worried about me Renko?" The piano faded away as she halted the waltz, having gradually twirled Renko far above the faux-tiled flooring.

There seemed to be far more going on behind Merry's eyes in that moment than Renko could possibly gleam from her stilled expression. Surely Merry could hear, or feel, her heart pounding through the silence.

"Merry…I-I've never really wanted to push you away, honest! It's just…there's so much out here, I finally understand! You've always been ready to face the Unknown, together, e-even when they sent you off to Shinshuu, and…" Renko started thinking back to Alice, a former human who could no longer return to such an existence. She was trembling in Merry's hands, still gripping them tightly. Why couldn't she pull herself together right now..?

Merry continued.

"Do you remember the first time I showed you any Items from my dreams? That afternoon in the restaurant, with those cookies from That Mansion?"

"That's…are you…you're not upset with me? I-I could ask about that bamboo forest! I think I met someone here who—"

"Shhhhhhhh," She softly extends a finger to Renko's face. The Physicist freezes.

"Dreams are no good if you don't do anything to make them a Reality. You take care out there." Then she smiled deeply, letting Renko silently plummet far below into Infinity.

-

Renko fell back into herself with a start, thrashing away Alice's blanket & nearly toppling off the couch head-first.

Straight into the coffee table.

She braced herself at the last moment however, taking slow breaths through the dust of the morning light while propping herself back up. The girl felt groggy, like a single night of rest had practically lasted weeks.

That…was a first. Renko supposes Merry could have felt more inclined to double-down with her "practices" in her absence but…
The girl wasn't sure if her friend had ever "reached out" to her so directly before. Maybe she never had cause to try until now? Well, either way, at least she didn't seem too distraught over Renko's independent scouting…Right?

A stomach growl brought her back to attention. Judging by the sunbeams, it couldn't have been any later than 9 or maybe 10 in the morning.
The house was quiet. Would a Youkai like Alice have anything decent for breakfast?

The kitchen was incredibly modest. There wasn't even a single electric appliance! Renko considered this refreshing, even if it left her at a clear disadvantage. Merry was always the one to cook on the off-chance they didn't feel like eating out someplace. Renko was no stranger to occasionally "roughing-it" in isolated locations with a little campfire cooking but this was someone's home! Most of these spices Alice had were foreign to her anyways and she doubted the Puppeteer even had any butter for the dry, flaky biscuits in the cupboards. She settled on a spare muffin before noticing the glint off some spare glasses of cola tucked away behind the meager snacks, faded labels long-since torn off.

Jackpot! That'd be some quick energy to start her day. A little couldn't hurt. The bottles looked incredibly dusty anyways, what harm could it bring?

She plucked one from the depths of the cupboard, unintentionally dragging out an inert Shanghai Doll in the process. "Oh. Hey there little fella…" It looked like it was almost sleeping, those phantom-strings seemingly nigh-intangible while Alice was still resting. She wondered if Alice had made them all the exact same way, or maybe each one really was slightly personalized somehow. It must be easier to tell through their latent magic, but on their own they seemed so innocent…
Cute, even.

Renko started chuckling to herself through her muffin bites. She knew each one had to be skilled in defense, but these little French Maid Mannequins wouldn't be out of place in a children's book! She held it in her hands for a moment in front of the countertop.

Renko glances towards the nearby hallway to Alice's room, briefly holding her breath without realizing it. The house remained quiet.

She then held the doll by the arms and made it mirror the wave one of them gave last night. She smirks. Setting Shanghai on the counter, Renko felt out the limitations of its joints gently before making it perform small kicks & chops.

An idea began.

"Maribel Hearn, I'll save you…with my powers over THE DOLLS!" She toppled the bottle of cola with a smack of Shanghai's hand, laughing triumphantly. Yes! This was Exactly what she needed after last night's dream. She gallivanted back over to the couch, hand-in-hand with the doll, to retrieve one of a few multi-purpose tools tucked away in her handbag. A moment later and "Shanghai" was eagerly opening the ancient soda bottle for the college girl, Renko finishing off the last of the muffin while letting it fizz on the table.

The rustic atmosphere seemed so perfect…she could see why Alice would settle here after a pilgrimage from such a frightening realm.

She had already taken her first few swigs when the doll suddenly shuddered to life in her grasp. Renko choked on her beverage, Shanghai quickly pulling out a razorblade as the doll suspended itself via Alice's threads.

Oh god, of course. What was she thinking?! How long was she even intending on fooling around for?

The girl held herself as non-threateningly as she could, coughing through the sharp carbonation lodged in her windpipe. Shanghai simply stood guard for a minute or two, other dolls getting started with idle morning preparations in the background, before Renko finally heard Alice's door open once more.

The Magician quickly drew her puppet back down the hall to find out what all the fuss was about. The Physicist had another moment to herself to clear her throat, donning her hat once again. Drinking just a bit more.

"Miss Usami, what in the world have you been getting up to out here..?" Renko nervously looks back with a mouthful of cola, bottle in her hands, opener on her suitcase and crumbs on the table. Like a deer in headlights. She swallows, Alice's eyes growing ever wider with further realizations. There was just no way, but with how out of place Shanghai was…how long since Alice found someone new that…she honestly…Renko was actually Playing with them??
Her soul instantly yearned for more, though she tried her best to conceal it on instinct. You can do this Margatroid..! Just one step at a time.

"Where did you find those glasses?" Renko had already consumed nearly half the bottle, including what she'd just timidly swallowed.

Alice couldn't recall whether or not that long out-of-print cola stock she'd terminally neglected was produced before They started worrying about expiration dates down there. The Human would be fine…probably. It's not like Alice was any medical expert. There were more pressing matters at-hand anyways.

"W-Well I started feeling sort of peckish and I know Youkai like you don't need much anyways so I figured, uhm…am I in trouble?"

Alice laughed with a slightly unhinged cadence to her tone, expression suddenly flipping, pulling herself back together afterwards just as fast.

"Oh that's far from the truth my dear. I'd slow down with that cola however, you have no idea what they usually put in those things…"

"Who? I couldn't read whatever was on the bottlecap—"

Alice punctually clapped her hands together. "Not important! It would be nice if you could clean up after yourself however."

"Ah," Renko finally noticing the small mess she created during her minimalist breakfast, "right away ma'am."

"Please, Alice works just fine. You really don't have to be so formal." She sat herself down across from Renko in a lone armchair, the Shanghai from earlier resting on her lap.

Renko couldn't help but blush to herself slightly, pulling out a spare handkerchief to wipe the crumbs away & off her own face. It was hard enough for her to whimsically indulge like that around Merry at times, especially in outside spaces whenever the crowds were simply too dense and any hypothetical trail of theirs had run cold. Renko had loosened up a bit since she was a First Year, but she still had her habits.

Alice observed the college girl in eerie stillness, unblinking. Great anticipation mounted within for the burning question she could hardly wait to unleash.

"Hope you don't mind the sacrifice of a single muffin to a worthy cause then, Alice."

"Not at all! On maybe One simple condition of course."

Renko raised an eyebrow. "Shoot", replied the young girl.

"I know you were playing with my little Shanghai here, I have some other dolls I think you might actually enjoy! It's been so long since they've seen such innocent fun, if you'll indulge me..?"

"What are you…" Renko leaned back subtly, bracing herself on the couch cushions.

"Play with them. With me. Together. Now? It's fine, you should! Please? For just a little while before you leave?? I know you were having fun with her, Genuine Fun. I can see it in you Girl."

Alice was unintentionally edging closer to Renko with each progressively-feverish statement. She'd even set aside the unfinished soda so she could start leaning over the table, eager for Exactly One response. What was left of Alice's thinly-veiled human composure began slipping. Renko felt a cold sweat break out on the back of her neck.

"I'm not sure if I, uh…I wouldn't want to impose and—"

"You wouldn't be! It's okay! We Insist! My Dolls love it! Please? Pretty pretty please please?? It'll be fun!! It won't be for long! I Promise!!"

The Magician was practically on her knees in front of the couch. Renko was speechless. Shanghai was being pressed tightly against Alice's quivering dress, almost concerningly so.

""

Alice hung on Renko's silence with a vice grip.

"…Maybe for just an hour or so then?"

With a sharp inhale, Alice bounded down the hall fast enough to leave the doll hanging in the air for a moment. It then fell to the ground unceremoniously. Renko noticed all the nearby dolls had turned their attentions on Alice in fact.

The Youkai girl began rummaging through one of many closets to pick & choose Exactly who she needed. You, you, Not You, ESPECIALLY you and…sure you too, why not. Alice returned with two armfuls of dolls and a cobalt handbook, filled with private notes over every person she knows that she'd created a doll for over the years. Finally, her Destiny fulfilled!

Renko stared back at the unfamiliar assortment nonplussed, the dolls now splayed across the table. Alice gave the girl as much time to familiarize herself with them as she needed. There was one that looked like some old-timey broomstick witch and another that seemed to be a rabbit with the body of a human. That one struck a funny nerve within her memories, she can't forget to ask Alice about any bamboo forests before she leaves.

"Hey…" On that note and upon a second glance, one of the dolls actually seemed Far more familiar to Renko than she initially realized. She tentatively plucked the other blonde from the table, recognizing that orchid dress & plain white cap anywhere.

She could never forget the outfit Merry was wearing the day they'd first met.

"Alice, do you know someone like this..?"

"I was hoping you'd ask about her first, truth be told her design actually came to me in a dream." Alice began flipping through the handbook for that particular series of sketches.

"A dream?"

"Yes! It hasn't happened often, but I awoke with the idea in my head nearly a month ago now. It's slightly different from how I usually assemble them, I didn't even give her any strings. I've been wondering who could possibly come along closely resembling her or knowing anything, if anyone at all. There is…one local around here that comes to mind, but…"

"But..?" The plush Merry stared back at Renko indifferently.

"She really isn't anyone you need to be concerning yourself with."

A far-off look filled her eyes as she scanned over her scrawlings from that distant morning. There was something else whispered to her in that dream she immediately forgot upon waking up that she still couldn't remember, fearing any current ideas as the result mixing it up with...Something. It had been bugging her all September before she'd just gotten over things.

Alice's slight dip in tone made Renko think twice about asking for further clarification. Merry's visage from her own dream drifted through her thoughts once more. Maybe there were Some things she should still keep to herself for now...

"Why do you ask anyways?"

Renko had nothing to say for a moment. She gently sat the Merry Doll down on the far edge of the table, facing away from the couch.
"Just...had a funny feeling over it for some reason I guess..." Alice detected some underlying weighty secret within Renko, but now wasn't the time to press her on the matter anyways. Renko could keep the thing for all she cared, the Puppeteer had similar uneasy notions over its creation upon completion.

The college girl quickly changed the subject as more dolls throughout the house sat around nearby to watch.
"What about that one there in the lab coat?"

"Oh, her. Local engineer from back in the day, Human I think. Had an obsession with tanks of all things if you can believe it. She reminded me a little of you actually, that's why I brought her out, but nobody's heard from her in years. Real small-fry anyways…"

Alice set down the handbook and gathered her focus. With a flick of her wrists, the Rika & Reisen Dolls sprung to life. The engineer immediately started harassing the rabbit, looking for a fight as far as Renko could tell. Alice smiled gently at the young girl observing her craft so genuinely. The Rika Doll managed to distress the rabbit enough to chase it away, standing proudly in the face of its perceived victory. Renko laughed as the Reisen Doll ran over to join them on the couch, desperately trying its best to reach a nearby resting Hourai for assistance. The Shanghai from earlier was still content in Alice's grasp, thankful for a moment of comforted intimate leisure.

For a second, everything felt quiet & peaceful. It was satisfying. Cathartic. 'This is something I should be used to feeling more often,' Renko thought to herself, 'isn't it?'

The young girl's apprehensions completely receded away as she began to truly, fully internalize everything she had witnessed thus far. Turning Dreams into Reality, one of the core values of the Hifuu Club for nearly four full years now. That was the Key, first and foremost. Every outing, all those notes scribbled, every risk; it had all brought the Physicist to precisely where she was now.

The club members had been separated, yes, but it still seemed as if Renko was exactly where she needed to be at this time regardless. Together with Alice, she could still be happy and find joy within herself before needing to focus on more pressing matters. If only for just a little while longer, and that felt Okay.

One day she'd hopefully be able to report back to Merry all about it, after she'd finally seen whatever else Gensokyo could possibly have to offer for herself that is. That Thesis couldn't write itself after all.

Alice let her in, thank you for doing the same and Thank (You) especially for reading. Your appreciation means The World to me, truly. See you all Next Dream~!

"So, what kind of scenarios were you thinking of? Tell me about this witchy lady here! I could use her to mess up the plans of that Pesky Engineer! How about it?"

Alice felt wholly content for the first time in a very long while. She didn't need anything else but This. Right here, right now. The Youkai couldn't have been more thankful to have ran into a human like Renko before the Forest had a chance to snatch her away, for better or for worse. This was what she first sought for on the surface so vehemently and hardly ever received from the people who tolerated her anyways. Life up here didn't always have to seem so lonely & harrowing after all. If only girls like Renko could remind her of that more often…

"I think that sounds just wonderful. Her name's Marisa Kirisame, another Forest resident. I wonder how busy she'd be today actually…you'd like her."

The girls continued on in blissful harmony, enjoying the solitude of their company, playfully duetting improvised misadventures to a household audience until they lost track of the afternoon. A warm breeze rustled throughout the thick treetops outside. Moments like these are what really gave life meaning, even in the most isolated of places with unlikely companions. This is what matters, and the girls understood that as much as two otherwise disparate & complete strangers could understand one other.

Renko knew she'd make it far out here in the end, no matter what she stumbled into next...

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Pub: 14 Sep 2024 00:05 UTC

Edit: 07 Jun 2025 02:14 UTC

Views: 453