Master's Spark 7: Yesterday Was Not

Mima and Marisa stood exhausted at the front gates of the Hakurei shrine, clothes tattered and bloodied by Reimu Hakurei who stood before them, once again triumphant in stopping Mima's attempt at breaking through the Hakurei Border.

"I didn't drag you across Gensokyo to sightsee, child!" Mima shouted at Marisa between breaths. "Use what I taught you! Use what you've learned!"

Marisa collapsed to her knees. "I'm sorry, Master," she replied. "Nothing I do is working... Her aura manipulation is too strong..."

All of Marisa's magical power was sourced from the imbued hat Mima gave her. Until Marisa developed her own intrinsic source of magic, Reimu could intercept the intertwining auras that took place between the host and enchanted item. If Mima's staff was rendered useless against Reimu, Marisa became less than so.

Mima tisked at Marisa, and looked to the shrine maiden who stood before her. "Fine, I've lost this battle. Just get it over with."

Reimu lifted a spell card, causing Mima to flinch as she braced for the seal to bind her; she had never surrendered so easily before. Upon seeing this, Reimu lowered the card. "Why do you fight, ghost?" she asked.

Mima's eyes rose to her. "You know very well why, Hakurei maiden. I must avenge myself against the evils of the human race, by destroying them all."

"You're as blind as ever," Reimu shook her head. "You still think we all deserve that same fate? You still think we're all the same?"

"Of course you are. Every last stinking one of you."

"Even her?" she pointed.

Mima trailed her finger to Marisa, who was now lying on the pavement, nearly passed out. She glanced back to Reimu, then back to Marisa. "She was... She's a pawn to me. She was supposed to help me defeat you."

"Is that so?" She tucked her card away into a pocket. "So tell me this, ghost. You mention teaching her and traveling with her to train her. Why did you let her keep her humanity?"

"She—She's stronger this way," she returned her stare to Reimu.

"Stronger? Stronger?" she nearly laughed. "A human with no inherent magic against one who can practically nullify magical weaponry? And you even came into battle with her, fully aware of these facts. How is this stronger than turning her into a youkai that—"

"Because I didn't want to change her!" she admitted.

"Because you've grown to love this human?"

She tisked again, averting her gaze to the ground. Her movements and lack thereof spoke what she could not.

"She became more than just a pawn to you. In your time together, she became like a daughter to you. Am I wrong?"

Mima refused to respond.

"She has proven to you that humanity is not the evil force you make them out to be. You no longer have reason to fight. And yet you fight, because it is all you have known..."

Mima continued to stand without reply as she crossed her arms.

Reimu smiled in sympathy, lowering her eyes to the ground. "I understand. Everything your existence stands for has been shattered."

A cool wind breezed across the shrine grounds as the two stood in silence.

Reimu returned her now calmed eyes to Mima. "I'm glad you've found this peace, and... I'm sorry. Perhaps for now, you could use some time to rediscover yourself." She retrieved her card and prepared to cast the sealing spell.

"Hey," she finally interrupted, followed by a quick glance at Marisa. "You know a thing or two about staying human. Take good care of Marisa while I'm away."

Upon taking a moment to connect Mima's intentions for coming to the shrine, her eyes shimmered. With a subsequent nod and a silent breath of approval, Reimu tossed the card into the air, sealing the ghost away in a bright flash of light.

"Rest easy," Reimu whispered as the card returned to her hand. "I will guide her." Gently, she turned her head to Marisa. Silently she approached her, as not to stir her, and squatted down to place a hand on her head.

"Master..." she muttered in response.

Reimu let out a quiet chuckle. "Let's get you inside. After your rest, you'll have much to learn about being a human magician."


As Marisa began her recovery, another had just completed hers.

The sun beamed down as Yuuka took her first steps out of the mansion in months. She inhaled the fresh air, twirling her parasol as it rested against her shoulder. "Back to business."


Upon her arrival to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Yuuka was greeted by a prim maid who escorted her to Remilia's tea room.

Yuuka eyed her for some time as they walked side by side through the halls. "You're the Lunarian girl, correct?" she finally inquired.

The maid paused in confusion for a brief moment. "I'm sorry Miss, but you must be mistaken," she replied. "I've lived on the earth for as long as I can remember."

"Oh, my mistake," she courteously smiled. "In retrospect, you seem much taller and more mature than the child I had in mind."

The maid returned her smile, and proceeded to hold open a door in the hallway. "Milady will see you now, she gestured into the room."

"Ah, Miss Kazami," Remilia noted from across the room as she set her teacup upon the end table to her side.

"I will prepare more tea for your guest," the maid bowed before returning to the hallway.

"Thank you, Sakuya."

Yuuka stepped into the room, admiring its walls of books. "Quite the library you have, Miss Scarlet."

"Library?" She took a moment to look around, then gallantly laughed. "Oh, yes. Thank you." She refrained from mentioning the library across the hall that took up nearly half the floor. "Please, have a seat," she gestured to the chair across from her.

Yuuka accepted the offer.

"I've been expecting your return for quite some time; has there been trouble?" she concerned.

"Only a mishap of my own fault, but all is well now."

"Have the crystals served your needs?"

"Yes, but I find myself at a need for the next four crystals that I am entitled to, as per our agreement. I've done all I can with the previous four."

Remilia's composure escaped her for a brief moment. "You've already used them all, you say?" She took her cup and sipped from it, in an effort to stall for time as she gathered the proper set of words to courteously explain her worry. "In such a relatively short frame of time?"

"All is well," she assured.

"I see," she mentioned, staring at the carpeting near Yuuka's feet. "There were no... side effects of any sort?"

"As you see, I'm well." Noting Remilia's concern, she shifted the conversation back on track. "In any case, if I may be frank by returning to the topic at hand, I've come to retrieve the second batch of crystals from you, assuming the Lunarian girl has suited your needs."

"Yes, yes of course," she snapped back into her couth yet relaxed state. "Sakuya has been more than exemplary—as a source of blood, as a maid, and as a personal guard."

Yuuka took a moment to connect thoughts. "The maid is the Lunarian girl?"

"Oh... yes... Perhaps she didn't recognize you, and perhaps vice versa as well." She gently scooted forward in her chair as she began to explain, "You see, the first several nights of her stay here, she had trouble sleeping, in fear that Princess Houraisan would seek her out again. My gatekeeper began training her, applying her lessons to the girl's innate skills as a knife-wielder and Manipulator of Time. Spending extensive time locked in her fields of frozen time has 'accelerated' her aging—from our perspective—so she has grown more physically mature relatively quickly." Her eyes shifted. "...in most places." She set her cup down again to interlock her fingers. "However, this was not enough. She remained paranoid, and when she would finally sleep, she had nightmares that brought her back awake. I sought the services of... an old enemy, to erase all of Sakuya's memories of the Lunarians, in exchange for my word to leave the human village of Gensokyo alone. Since you were involved with her final ties to the Lunarians, you—"

"You erased the girl's memory?" Yuuka shouted, standing to her feet.

"Miss Kazami, calm—"

"You took everything she was and destroyed it," she borderline yelled. "I trusted you for her care!"

"Miss Kazami, please, sit down," she requested, her politeness beginning to fade.

Yuuka twitched to lift her parasol at Remilia before finally catching herself acting up. She returned to her seat, releasing the parasol to the ground. "I—Forgive me, I don't know what came over me."

"...Sakuya consented to having her own memory erased, of course," she finally got her word in. "It was for her own good."

Yuuka sat with a hand clasping her forehead.

"...Are you certain nothing came of your exposure to the crystals?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she repeated. "It's just these... No, I'm fine."

"I might recommend that you leave the rest of the crystals in my care for a while longer. I cannot be certain, but it seems that you may—"

"No, it's fine." She took a deep breath before reverting her attention to Remilia with an awkward smile. "I apologize for my rudeness, but if I may, I must return home with the crystals now. I seem to be developing a bit of a headache."

With a few hesitations as she failed to put together words against it, she ultimately agreed with a nod. "I have the four crystals stored in a container near the front door, in anticipation for your return. I will accomp—"

"It's fine," she interrupted once again as she stood. "I should not inconvenience you any further; I can show myself out."

"...If you insist, then very well," she bowed a goodbye.

"Thank you," she bowed in return.

As Yuuka thrust the door open, she nearly knocked over Sakuya in the hallway, who was approaching with a tray of tea and snacks balanced in one hand.

"Are you departing now, Miss? My apologies for not serving you sooner."

Yuuka stared at what the girl had become. "No, it was my fault."