Backstory for the big mean man

You are working in the forge with Kogasa when you notice something peculiar. There is a man standing in the road in front of your shop, just staring. He is tall, and looks somewhat ragged in appearance. A long and tattered brown cloak conceals most of his body, and a large brimmed back hat conceals his face. Yet, you are getting an odd feeling from him, like he is bearing towards you some animosity in particular...

You think that you might go and tell him stop menacing the roadway, when someone enters the shop. It is a youkai. The first thing you notice is the crow sitting on her shoulder. Her red eyes met with yours and she smiles in greeting. The puffy white balls on the tassels of her little hat bounce as she hops over to you. It's Aya Shameimaru.

"click click" She's pointing her camera at you and mimicking the shutter with her mouth.
"Just kidding! it's broken, see?" She thrusts it out at you as if you know how it works.

You have met Aya in your travels. She never hesitates to begin (often unprompted) to tell you about the goings on in Gensokyo, and always asks you if you know of any rumors she could look into.

"Um, Aya. You know we work with metal here right? I don't know anything about technology from outside Gensokyo."

"Aw, but it has metal on it. See? See?!"

"Caw! caw!" The crow was supporting its master.

"Let me see to Aya" Kogasa had finally looked up from what she had been doing. "I can look at it at least"

Kogasa smiled brightly. Ah, she's so cute...

"Say, Aya, with all your comings and goings to happen to know anything of regarding that mysterious man out there?" You inquire.

Aya whips around and peers at him.

"Tch! could you be more conspicuous?!"

"Ah I know him. That man's a youkai hunter. Honestly, he's second rate. But he's violent and tenacious. They say that he takes his time the youkai he overpowers. Even still, he's seen as an old drunk by most, so not many are willing to hire him. Ah, what was his name..."

In an instant you realize why the man put you on edge. You subconsciously place your hand on your ribs.

"That bastard! He's the one that burned my parents' house down and put me on the street! I know he is! And he also gave me a beating that I haven't paid him back for."

You pick up a nearby hammer and tighten your grip. You take a step towards the doorway.

"Stop!!" Kogasa jumps out in front of you, her eyes full of concern. "That man is scary. I've seen him on the road, but I always was too afraid to try and surprise him. You don't need to go over there. He's not doing anything. Please."

"Oh yeah that's right!"

You both look at Aya, who has been thinking this whole time.

"Now I remember his story. I had written an article on it when it happened. That suffered tragedy at Scarlet Devil Mansion."

Aya began her telling of the events.

In the road the man glared at the young man and two youkai talking in the shop across from him. He hated the boy, honestly. It was not that he had done anything, but it was a grudge borne of past events, events that couldn't ever be forgotten. How could he be happy, after what a youkai did to his parents? Yet here he is, having taken one as his lover and always entertaining others. That bastard...he should wipe that smile off his face. He has no idea. The man grits his teeth as his mind wanders back to the past.

Many years prior he was the same age as the boy. And at that time he had a fiance, whom he had know all his life. Her name was Rin. She had two friends, also a couple, who became close friends of his too. They were Shin and Megume.

Not unlike other youths, but perhaps more brazen, the four had been possessed by wanderlust. They ranged far from the human village, and did not fear youkai. Overtime they even became friends with the more amicable ones, and with fairies and other entities of Gensokyo. Through good fortune, they had never encountered any youkai which might threaten their safety. One day, with the red spires of Scarlett Devil Mansion in sight, the four encountered a sight which they had never seen before. Taking cover behind a small rise, they watched the events unfolding on the road.

"Ojou-sama! OJOU-SAMA!" What look to be tall woman with white hair was yelling. She held in her arms a purple-haired young girl, except she had black wings protruding from her back.

"See? This is why I said that we should have gone back already. Oh, Why did I have to be dragged away from my studies!" The one complaining had long purple hair and wore a large purple had. She was leaning on a walking stick and appeared to be quite tired. A red haired youkai with little black wings on her head put a hand on her shoulder.

"Now, now master. You'll be back in your library soon. But should you really be carrying on like this, with the young mistress in that condition..."

"You shut up Koakuma!!"

"She's right Patchouli" The white haired one snapped "You should know just how dangerous it is for Lady Remilia to be out here in his condition!"

Patchouli grumbled something inaudible and Koakuma kept rubbing her shoulder.

"Hong!" The white-haired woman shouted at the red-haired woman standing beside her. "The umbrella!"

Hong adjusted the umbrella that she was holding. She looked down and to the side, as if she wanted to be removed from the situation, but her face still showed concern.

"You know Sakuya, we did walk alot farther than we planned, but it's hard to argue with the Lady when she get's like that. Still, we're only a couple miles away."

"Ah Lady Remilia, why did you insist on walking in the daytime when it had been that long since you ate!" Sakuya looked defeated. "If only there were a human around."

At that moment Hong's head snapped toward them.

"Shit!" Rin had stuck up her head a little to far.

"Idiot!" Megume slapped her head. "Did they see us??"

Shin spoke in a hushed whisper, "I have heard of them. They live in the Scarlett Devil Mansion. I heard that the Lady of the Mansion eats humans. That must be the purple haired--"

"Hi-ya!" At that moment there was a flash of green and leaping over the embankment with a flourish, the red-haired woman landed in a martial stance behind them.

"Now, what do we have here" The red haired demon was floating in front of them, a fire ball blazing in her hand.

They were totally trapped. Without a word of protest the four allowed themselves to be taken to the roadside.

"Good job Kaokuma" The purple-hat girl said in a haggard voice, looking up from her staff.

"Shut up you lazy mage, you didn't do anything" The red-haired woman snapped at her.

"T-that's not true! I'm the one who summoned Koa-"

"Who are they Hong?" The white-haired woman, who they now saw was dressed as maid, was holding the young girl closely in one arm, the other holding a silver knife defensively.

"Do they mean to harm lady Remilia?" She spoke calmly, but her voice told them that their safety depended on their answer.

"N-no!!" Rin spoke holding her hands out in front of her. "We wouldn't do anything like that! We're from the human village, and we only happened upon you. We were only curious!"

The other three kept silent, thinking that if they all began speaking it would only make things worse.

"You are a long way from the human village." Hong's voice came bluntly from behind them.

"W-well that's true." Rin continued, "but really, we mean you no harm! You said that the girl needs--"

"The young mistress" The maid said, in correcting her.

"T-that the young mistress needs blood. She can have some of mine." Rin pulled down her shirt and exposed her neck.

The maid narrowed her eyes. "We would have taken your blood anyway, but it makes it easier if you are willing. I am Sakuya Izayoi, a human."

"I am Rin."

At Sakuya's beckoning, Rin stepped forward. Seemingly sensing the presence of a human, The purple haired vampire opened her eyes.

"Lady Remilia, I have some blood for you." Then looking at Rin, Sakuya said "Don't worry, she won't take enough to harm you."

In a swift movement, the young lady grabbed onto Rin and sank her teeth into her neck. Rin winced, but did not cry out. While this was happening, the other's made their introductions.

"Sorry for the rough introduction. I'm Hong Meiling, youkai and gatekeeper." The red-haired woman said.

Hong looked at the purple-hat girl, who seemed to be barely holding herself up. "Patchouli!"

"Shut up you muscle head! I'm dying..."

Hong shot a little green ball of light out of her fingertip, which hit Patchouli in the forehead.

"Mukyu~" She rubbed the spot where it hit.

"There, there master" The red-haired devil rubbed her master's back.

"I-i'm Patchouli Knowledge, a witch and at you service..."

Somehow the three thought that she did not actually mean for them to request any services at all from from her.

"I'm Koakuma, a devil and assistant of Patchouli." She smiled at them.

"I'm Shin."

"I'm Megume."

At first the boy said nothing, but feeling that an answer was expected of him began "My name is..."

"FUWWWWAAA" At that moment the vampire and mistress removed herself from Rin's neck. "Thanks lady that was refreshing. Your blood is very tasteful."

"Ojou-sama!" Sakuya practically had tears in her eyes.

The young lady stood and with her hands on her hips proclaimed to the four, "I give you my thanks humans! I was quite famished."

Though she had the voice of a little girl, she spoke in a refined manner.

"I am Remilia Scarlett, Lady of Scarlett Devil Mansion. I give you my thanks."

Rin, not knowing what else to do, bowed. Shin and Megume followed after, with Shin pulling the boy's head down, for he would not have bowed otherwise.

"The hour is late. You must be tired from traveling and from having your blood drunken. Please, accompany us back to Scarlett Devil Mansion and we will treat you, as thanks."

They were curious, sensing that this was an opportunity not given to many humans. And at the same time they feared offending the Lady by declining. So Rin answered for them all.

"We would be honored"

They all began walking down the road to Scarlett Devil Mansion.

"Thank goodness. I'm so tired. Hong, carry me!"
Patchouli whined.

Hong said nothing but flicked her in the head.

"Mukyu..."

They walked the couple miles to Scarlett Devil Mansion, which passed without incident. Sakuya and Hong asked the four about their lives and about news from the human village, and in return told them about the happenings in around the Mansion, and of the youkai in the area. Kaokuma would occasionally interject with a totally irrelevant question, while Patchouli whined the whole time. And a few times, having seen a particular landmark, Remilia would tell a story about it, evidently having been in Gensokyo a very long time.

Eventually the great red brick clocktower of the mansion loomed into view, and the party arrived at its wrought iron gate. Hong stepped forward, and with a wave of her hand, the gate slowly swung open.

"Welcome to Scarlett Devil Mansion. You are the first humans to set foot here in quite some time, besides Sakuya of course." Lady Remilia said.

"I'll mind the gate." Hong said, and with a salute to them faced back out to the road with her arms crossed.
They walked across the courtyard and entered the mansion through its massive wooden doors.
The four were in awe. In the human village, a three story building was seen as massive. The ceiling here rose far higher than that. The wooden, often drab architecture of the village was nothing like the beautiful stone here. The antechamber of the mansion was large, with a ceiling higher than anything they had ever seen. Great columns lined the the room on both sides. Two curved stair cases rose to left and right to a balcony, and between the staircases was another set of doors. On either wall were tall red stained glass windows.

The proceeded across the room, footsteps echoing in the cavernous space, and walked through the double doors at the far end of the room. The entered into a hallway. The hallway seemed to extend far, whereupon it turned. And it turned many times after that. It was decorated by wallpaper, which was white and decorated with intricate designs. A carved wood border separated the wall from the floor and and ceiling. At regular intervals were unknown white wooden doors, with golden chandeliers lighting the way. Occasionally there was a branching hallway, where they saw maids or what looked like devils going about some business. Some of the maids looked human, but since Remilia had said that Sakuya was the only human in the mansion, they didn't asked. They knew that most youkai looked more or less human anyway.

It seemed as though they had been walking for far too long, like the hallways could not have possibly fit in the mansion. They were labyrinthian.

Shin spoke up, "E-erm isn't this hallway kind of long?"

Sakuya responded, "Yes, it is that way as a defense against intruders. Because you are our outsiders the distance appears larger. For us that live here it is much shorter."

They did not really understand, but did not pry either. Around the next turn the entered into another chamber. It was not unlike the first, but smaller and with no windows. There were also double doors on the left, right, and far side of the room.

"I am going back to the library." Patchouli, looking more dead than alive by this point, shuffled towards the left door with Kaokuma in tow.

Sakuya and Remilia led the four through the doors on the right. After a shorter walk down another hallway, they arrived at a room.

"Please refresh yourselves in this guest room," Sakuya said. "We will reconvene for dinner shortly."

Sakuya bowed to them, and her and Remilia went back down the hallway. The four stayed watching, and to their surprise saw Remilia tug on Sakuyas arm, whereupon the maid picked her up and placed her on her shoulders, and the two continued like that.

The four entered the room, and found it luxurious like the rest of the mansion. It had two large beds, bigger than they had ever seen, made of white wood and having red sheets. Each bed had a sort of canopy covered by a wispy white fabric. There were no windows. On one side of the room was a door leading to a bathroom. It was like nothing they had ever seen. There was a shiny white basin for washing. Next to it there was another basin, made of the same material, and which looked like a seat.

"I guess we...shit in that?" Shin said, and Megume punched him in the arm.

There was also a larger basin on the floor, clearly for washing oneself. The four took turns refreshing themselves, then sat on the beds.

"This mansion really is incredible huh?" said Megume. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Yeah wait till the guys back in the village hear about this!" Shin said, having laid back on the bed with his arms behind his head.

The boy only nodded in agreement. Suddenly Rin jumped up and with a mischievous grin looked at the other three.

"This is a golden opportunity. As far as we know, no other humans have been in this mansion before!"

"That's true," Shin said "I had never heard about it from anyone in the village before. Some strange traveler is the one that told me about it. Still, I never imaged that it would be this amazing."

"Sooo why don't we take this chance and explore!" Rin's eyes were beaming and she was holding her hand in front of her clenched into a fist.

The boy loved this about her. She was fearless and always took an opportunity for adventure head on. Though he said nothing, he was curious too.

"N-no way!" Megume sounded terrified. "Don't forget that youkai live here. We could stumble into some monster! We could be eaten!"

Rin shot back, "Don't be such a baby Megume. You like books don't you? Imagine what kind of rare stuff you'd find in the library that witch was talking about. besides she doesn't seem that threatening."

Shin stood up, "She's right. We can't pass something like this up. But still, we shouldn't just waltz out and get caught."

"Duh! We'll wait until after dinner, and when everyone is sleeping we'll--"

There was a knock at the door, and a young girl's voice came, "The Mistress wishes me to inform you all that dinner is ready."

They opened the door and standing there was a girl about half their size wearing a maid uniform like Sakuya's. She had dark brown hair and green eyes. The translucent wings on her back to them that she was a fairy.

"This way."

They set out down the hall from which they had originally came. Coming into the same chamber from before, this time they went through the doors that had been on the far side of the room.

This time there was no hallway. The doors opened straight away into a large room, as large as the one at the entrance. This time there were no windows, and a massive golden chandelier kept the room dimly lit. In the center of the room was a long dark wooden table, almost as long as the room itself. At the far end sat Hong, Patchouli, Kaokuma, Sakuya, and Remilia at the head.

They sat at the table. They noticed that Remilia's chair had much longer legs than the rest, but said nothing.

"Welcome, guests" said the Lady Remilia.

Fairy maids came from a door at the side holding platters which had various foods, some of which they had never had. There were various meats and even seafood, which was a mystery since there was no sea nearby. There was fluffy bread and steaming vegetables. Sundry fruits sat on raised silver platters like ornaments. Each guest had a silver goblet, into which was poured wine. Since there was only sake in the human village, they were in awe. The Lady Remilia received her drink from a different bottle.

"I can drink preserved blood" she explained, "but it is not as good as fresh blood"

They all ate and talked. The food was delicious and their seemed to be no end to it. The fairies came in and out, bringing new dishes and taking away old ones. Before long they were onto seconds, and then thirds. Patchouli always seemed to be one round ahead of them.

"So" Hong began "does it bother you to be eating at the table of a vampire with a devil and witch. Sakuya's no ordinary human either."

This time it was Shin who responded first. "You all are much kinder than I had heard. And no wonder, always getting to eat such good food as this. Who'd need to eat humans?"

Kaokuma laughed "Humans still taste good."

Patchouli shot her a look and she giggled. "fufufu just kidding."

"I was scared at first, but you all are actually really nice" Megume added.

Rin continued, "besides we have made friends with some youkai and fairies before."

Sakuya raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? You all think that humans and youkai can be friends?"

"Well aren't we friends now?" Rin replied "After all you did invite us to your table."

"That's true, but not all non-human residents are as friendly as the Mistress. Many will attack and eat humans, and humans justly fear them. Most do not care to risk finding out which are friendly."

"Maybe we have just been lucky, but we have only come across friendly non-humans, or at least those who are non-violent. I think that humans and non-humans should try to be friends. There are many things we could learn from one another, and many things we could share."

Shin and Megume nodded in agreement. The boy said nothing, but he liked the sound of what Rin had said.

Remilia nodded as well. "Yes I concur. After all it would be easier to get blood if more humans and us were friends. I need to get it one way or another, and when they struggle all terrified it frankly ruins the taste. It tastes much better when the human is willing like you Rin."

After a moments pause she added "I do hope that you let me have some of you blood again. I haven't had such good blood in ages." She then smiled cutely at Rin.

Her little girl voice speaking in such an aristocratic way was funny to the boy, but despite being a little drunk from the wine he managed not to laugh.

Rin blushed. "Thank you for saying so Lady Remilia, it would be an honor."

Suddenly Megume spoke up, "S-so I know none of you eat humans...but is there really nobody in the Mansion who does."

For a moment a dark look flashed across Remilia's face, not that any of them noticed it in the dim candle light. She smiled.

"As long as you don't go off on your own..." Remilia held up her hands and wiggled her small fingers, bearing her sharp teeth and sticking out her tongue. "Then I might decided I want more than just your blood."

At this Megume seemed terrified.

"fufufufu" She covered her mouth as she laughed "I'm only joking."

Patchouli spoke up in a deadpan voice and without looking up from her food, "If you come into my library and bother me then I really will eat you."

She looked like she had recovered from earlier, but still had a gloomy and disinterest air about her. Beside her Kaokuma smiled and pulled her cheek back, revealing two rows of sharp teeth. The wings on her head flapped up and down while she did this.

"N-no thanks...I hate books..." Megume said.

At this they all laughed. But then Rin spoke up in a more serious tone.

"It is my dream that one day all humans, youkai, and the rest of the non-humans in Gensokyo can all be friends."

"I will toast to that" Lady Remilia said "For then I will be able to drink all the fresh blood I want fufufufu."

"As will I, since I am a human myself" Sakuya said.

The rest of table all raised their glasses and toasted to their own newfound friendship, and to Rin's dream.

After this they were brought desert, which consisted of many pastries and cakes. Curiously none was placed in front of Patchouli.

"H-hey where's mine!" she demanded. It seems that she got quite serious about sweets.

"You need to go on a diet fatty" Remilia teased.

It seemed that when she was comfortable in her own home she showed more of a childish side.

"L-lady Remilia..." Patchouli looked like her soul had just left her body.

"She's right" Hong added. "You need to get in shape."

"S-shut up, you damn muscle head!" She looked angry now.

Beside her Kaokuma was barely containing her laughter. Sakuya kept silent, but had an ever so slightly visible grin on her face.

With Patchouli resigned to pouting, they all began eating. The four thought to themselves that there was not more delicious confectionaries in all of Gensokyo.

"This is delicious!" Megume said with her mouth full.

"This is why I hate humans" Patchouli looked like had a storm cloud over her head.

A couple times she tried to reach for a pastry anyway, but each time Remilia would shoot a red magic dart from her hand which would cause the pastry to vaporize before Patchouli could eat it, saying "no fatty" and laughing each time. Kaokuma comforted her throughout this ordeal.

When they had finished, the fairies cleared the table. All departed, and Sakuya took the four back to their room.

"Thank you for helping Lady Remilia earlier. You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you like, so long as you will return the favor by providing some of your blood to Lady Remilia. Feel free to make yourselves at home, but please remain in this wing of the mansion."

They all thanked her for her hospitality, and she left them.

"Fuwaaa I'm stuffed" Megume said, flopping onto the bed.

"That was the most delicious meal I have ever had." Shin flopped down next to her.

But Rin chastised them. "Don't get too comfortable. Remember what we discussed earlier. This is the perfect chance to find out the secrets of this place."

Megume moaned "Whaaat but i'm so full. And you heard what the Lady said. She told us not to go wandering around."

Shin added, "Besides I thought you said you wanted to be friends. The maid said to stay in this wing. Do friends break the rules and snoop around each other's houses?"

Rin became flustered. "T-that's true, but will you really turn down such a good opportunity for adventure?" She put her hands on her hips. "besides you saw how nice they were. What's the worst that can happen! In the worst case we'll just apologize and say we got lost."

The boy did think she was taking the non-humans too lightly, but he liked that rule-breaking side of her. He said nothing.

"ugh fine" Megume said "I do want to see that library, so long as we avoid that gloomy witch."

The matter being settled, the waited a couple hours to be safe and set out from the room. At this hour the lights in the hallway were very dim. Well, vampires do like the darkness. It seemed that some magic controlled their brightness at different times.

The headed down the hall back to the same chamber from before. Where before there had been sparse activity, at this time the halls were totally deserted and silent. The four were conscious of their own footsteps and breathing. When they reached the chamber, they quickly crossed the room and slipped through the door across, that is the door that Patchouli had early gone into to get to the library.

Beyond the door the hallway was much like the one that led to their room. The moved down it, on high alert knowing that now they were where they weren't supposed to be.

At the end of the hallway was a square room. At the center of it was a staircase that sank down into the floor. It had two glowing red crystals set on pedestals lighting the entrance.

Thinking that this conspicuous staircase must naturally lead to the library, they headed down. They stairs went on for a while, so that they could tell they were being taken underground. When it ended they found themselves in a cold stone hallway. Unlike the decorative hallway above, this one was bare and lit only by dim red crystals recessed into the walls.

Not knowing where the library was, they headed to the right. Like the rest of the mansion, this basement area was a confusing labyrinth of hallways. They figured that the library would be attached to the main hall, and to avoid getting lost did not turn off into any side passages. As they went on, the floor seemed to slope downward. It also grew colder.

Finally the hall came to an abrupt end. But instead of a wall, there was a lone white wooden door, just like the ones in the mansion above. And the door stood ajar.

"W-what is this?" Megume's voice trembled. "Is this the library?"

Before anyone could respond, the crystals that lit the hallway flickered and went out.

"W-what's going on?!" Megume was about to panic.

It was pitch dark.

"Sh! Do you hear that?" Shin whispered.

It was nearly inaudible at first. But they could just barely hear it. It was a sound like many glass bottles softly clinking together, and it was approaching them from the way that they came. In the darkness appeared a light. As it approached they could tell it was multiple lights of different colors that seemed to be suspended off the ground in a horizontal line.

Slowly the lights approached, until they illuminated a little girl. They realized that the lights were some kind of wings coming from her back. She was blonde and was wearing a white bonnet. With her innocent looking face and hat she reminded them of Remilia. She was wearing a red skirt and shirt, with white sleeves and collar, and a yellow cloth tied around her neck. If it wasn't the ominous circumstances she would been cute.

"S-sorry" Rin started "We kind of got lost and--"

"Are you here to play with me?" The girl interrupted quizzically.

They noticed that she had a headless teddy bear in her hand.

"Oh...I see... you're humans"

The girl cocked her head to the side, and her mouth spread into a wide and wicked smile that bared her sharp fangs. Her red eyes shone in the dark, with catlike black pupils. Dropping the bear, her nails grew into red claws. She stepped forward. Pointing to Rin she said in her little girl voice.

"You...you smell good. It's been a while since I've eaten"

Rin stepped back. The boy leaped in front of her.

"Don't touch her!" He yelled. This was the girl he would marry and he wouldn't let this youkai touch her.

With the afterimage of her wings trailing in the dark she rushed forward, slashing the boy and sending him flying into the wall where he lay unconscious. Shin and Megume had fallen backwards, frozen in fear. The girl stood over Rin.

"Don't go getting in the way of my mean when I'm so hungry." Her voice had become more monstrous. To Rin her mouth appeared to be a gaping black hole. Her eyes were evil red jewels belonging to a ravenous monster.

"W-wait--" Rin began, but the girl did not listen.

In one movement the girl slashed at Rin's throat with her claws, and her head rolled away from her body. Megume's scream echoed off the stone walls. But the girl paid no head. In the dim light of her wings, she tore flesh and broke bone, loudly slurping up the blood and viscera, and chewing chunks of flesh. Shin and Megume crawled to where the boy lay, but with her blocking the path, and with their legs not willing to move, the could only only watch the grisly scene. Megume sobbed and Shin held her, too terrified to make a sound himself.

Eventually the girl stood up, satiated from her feast.

"That was filling... I think that I'll you all now, since I get so bored down here."

Raising her hand, she pointed it at them huddling against the wall.

"Fools!"

The girl jumped back as several silver knives cut the air where she just was.

"Tch! Always getting in the way of my fun Sakuya!"

"Hong! keep her busy until Lady Remilia comes"

The girl and Hong engaged in a running battle down the hall.

"I told you not to leave the the guest wing!"

Patchouli, unseen further down, restored the crystal lights. Even Sakuya gasped at the scene. Rin's remains spread over the stone floor of the hall. They didn't resemble a human, but a torn and bloody mess. Further down the hall explosions shook the ceiling. Seeing the remains of her friend, Megume's shrill screams etched themselves into the very walls.

In the present time:

"So that's what happened. It happened shortly before the Scarlet Mist Incident. Now most humans know about the Scarlet Devil Mansion, and even about Remilia and her sister Flandre. Today humans even visit occasionally. Flandre hasn't escaped in a long time, since they are much more cautious now. The fact that one of the first humans to visit the Mansion in ages was killed by her is mostly forgotten about. I'm sure if people knew about it, no human would set foot near the place."

Aya finishes her story. She really has a long winded way of talking. Still, you hope to never meet this Flandre. She sounds even more vicious and powerful than Rumia. Kogasa looks horrified.

"S-scary. I'd never do something like that."

You ponder what you were just told. You look out at the man still standing in the street, now smoking a cigarette. Though you still think he's a scumbag, part of you can empathize with him. If someone hurt Kogasa you don't know what you would do. Without really thinking, you wrap her into a hug.

"H-huh? what's this for"

Outside in the street, the man drags his cigarette and watches Shin and Megume's son hug the youkai. His chest burns. To this day, the pain from where Flandre wounded him has never faded. He is lost in thought

"When I came to I was back in the human village. At first I was confused, but then I began to remember. I screamed out "Where's Rin! Where's Rin!" That maid came in. I guess she felt responsible, having been in charge of watching over us guests and Flandre. I learned that she had been confined to that basement for 500 years, and though she had gotten into the hall before, that was the only time humans had had the misfortune of running into her. I barely heard any of it. I was just numb.

After a while I talked to Shin and Megume again. I could tell they were messed up from what happened, especially Megume. Though we tried to stay friends, I guess it was too painful for them. Even still, they kept being friendly with Youkai. They said that if they didn't continue Rin's dream her death would have been for nothing. But what a bunch of shit. If Rin hadn't been so stupid she would still be alive. Even if they are outwardly friendly, all youkai and non-humans have the same beast within them. I won't be fooled. I've seen it often enough. I tried to tell those two, but they didn't listen.

I became a youkai hunter and they friends of youkai, so we couldn't possible have stayed friends. I watched them get over it, and live happily, even having a son. Having the future that was stolen from me. I started drinking, cause I couldn't forget.

Eventually then went and got ripped apart by a youkai, same as Rin. Idiots. They didn't deserve their happy life, for all their stupidity after seeing what happened to Rin. That's why one night after getting drunk I torched their old house. Call it cathartic. I can't stand to see that kid of theirs. He reminds me of them, and of Rin's own stupidity. I can't forgive that. If only we had never gone to that mansion..."

The cigarette having been smoked to the butt, the man flicked it into the dirt.

"One day that kid'll see, and he'll end up just like them"

Drinking from a flask in his pocket, the man turned and walked down the road.

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Pub: 17 Dec 2021 15:04 UTC
Views: 155