Life in the shrine remained relatively peaceful until an unexpected interruption occurred.
"Reimu!!! Let's duel!" Marisa's voice echoed through the tranquility of the morning.
Reimu, still half-asleep, was startled by Marisa's sudden enthusiasm. "Marisa! It's early in the morning!"
Unfazed, Marisa retorted, "Don't be like that, the fastest person doesn't waste time."
Just then, a digital particle effect appeared, revealing Ai's arrival on the scene.
"Ohh... Reimu, it's very rare—" Ai's words trailed off as she noticed Marisa's presence.
An awkward silence hung in the air, with both Marisa and Ai exchanging uncertain glances.
Meanwhile, Reimu continued to slumber, oblivious to the unfolding situation.
A palpable tension gripped the atmosphere, seemingly acting as a peculiar lullaby that deepened the shrine maiden's slumber.
Abruptly, Ina materialized within the room, her cheerful announcement trailing off into an uncertain silence as her gaze fell upon Marisa.
Amidst this uneasy moment, Ai's voice broke the stillness, offering a suggestion, "Perhaps we should gather around the table to talk first."
The other two individuals nodded in agreement, their actions speaking volumes as they silently complied with the idea.
--
As the tension eased with the arrival of tea, Ai set the cups on the table, prompting Ina to take a sip before addressing their guest. "So, tell me, esteemed guest, what brings you to this shrine?"
Marisa, however, flipped the question around, her tone wary. "It's the other way around. What is your purpose here?"
A subtle smirk played on Ai's lips as she responded, "You might have misunderstood us. We are both devoted to Reimu Hakurei."
Marisa's skepticism was evident as she retorted, "Devoted? That's quite a claim. Despite having known her for only a short while, I can see through her personality. It's clear that you're taking advantage of her, and she's unable to do anything about it!"
Ai's expression faltered momentarily, while Ina chuckled softly, amused by the exchange.
Continuing her accusatory line of questioning, Marisa turned her attention to Ina, her words pointedly mocking. "And you, with that innocent façade, I bet you'd go for a cheesy proposal to tug at Reimu's heartstrings, like kneeling and offering a ring."
Ina, momentarily caught off guard, seemed to suffer some internal distress at Marisa's words.
Marisa's resolve was unyielding as she declared, "I've made my decision. I'll stay with Reimu and protect her from your attempts to corrupt her."
With those words, the determined Magician turned and left, heading toward Reimu's room.
In the aftermath of Marisa's departure, an awkward silence hung in the air, leaving Ai and Ina momentarily speechless.
--
Marisa couldn't shake off the lingering discomfort she felt, though the reasons remained elusive.
Gently, she shook the shrine maiden awake, and Reimu roused from her slumber.
"Good morning, I guess," Reimu mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep.
Marisa suggested, "You should wash your face first, and then let's eat."
Reimu nodded in agreement, slowly getting up and preparing herself for the day ahead.
--
As Reimu greeted Ai and Ina, Marisa proceeded to the kitchen, busying herself with preparing some food.
Ai's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Hey, Reimu... who is she?"
Reimu responded, "Her name is Marisa Kirisame. She's the person who's usually around me when I'm here."
Ina chimed in, "And what is your relationship with her?"
Reimu contemplated for a moment before answering, "I guess we're friends, maybe even best friends."
Amidst their conversation, Reimu couldn't help but feel a certain awkwardness in the atmosphere, one that was difficult to pinpoint. She pondered, Why does it feel so complicated? Are relationships always like this?
Noticing the unease, Reimu turned to Ai and asked, "Did something happen?"
Ai responded, "Nothing at all... it's just that the requests keep piling up."
Reimu looked apologetic as she said, "I'm sorry for letting you handle all the work."
Ai reassured her, "It's fine, Reimu. It's just a bit overwhelming."
Reimu nodded, acknowledging the situation. She then turned to Ina and asked, "And how about you, Ina?"
Ina's face lit up with a smile as she answered, "I've finished the tournament, and my group emerged as the winner."
Reimu congratulated her, albeit with a hint of regret, "Congratulations. I'm sorry I couldn't watch it."
Ina waved off her concern, responding, "No worries, Reimu. It's a private matter, after all."
Interrupting their conversation, Marisa entered the room and announced, "I'm finished cooking."
Reimu immediately offered her assistance, saying, "Let me help you..."
--
The four individuals sat around the table, their tense expressions noticeable except for the shrine maiden, who continued to eat silently.
Ai spoke up, her tone trying to maintain a sense of decorum, "I appreciate the sentiment, but could you please not sit so close to Reimu?"
Marisa responded with a touch of skepticism, "Are you really that possessive? Getting jealous just because I'm sitting close to her?"
Reimu intervened, her voice carrying a plea, "I'm not entirely sure what happened, but could you both please try to be civil? I don't have many people I consider close, and it's uncomfortable when there's tension between them."
She continued, "So, can we just talk this out?"
The others sighed, seemingly acknowledging the reason in Reimu's words.
Marisa sighed in return, conceding, "Fine... I'm sorry for coming on too strong. My name is Marisa Kirisame, just an ordinary magician. I hope we can start over and get along."
Ai followed suit, her tone softer now, "I suppose it's partly my fault for being hostile. My name is Ai, or A.I....., and I'm Hakurei Reimu's assistant. I hope we can find a way to get along too."
Lastly, Ina spoke up with a friendly smile, "I'm Ninomae Ina'nis, but you can just call me Ina. I'm here to start over and get to know each other better."
The atmosphere seemed to ease as introductions and apologies were exchanged, and the shrine maiden offered a reassuring nod.
With the tension now lifted, Reimu let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful that the atmosphere had changed for the better.
As the once-tense air transformed into a more pleasant one, the four of them engaged in conversation, discussing various topics and finding common ground surprisingly quickly.
Ai chimed in with a hint of surprise, "I didn't expect the situation to take this turn."
Ina nodded in agreement, adding, "Yes, it's quite remarkable. Their chemistry seems oddly natural as if they've known each other for a long time."
Ai mused, "There's a possibility. After all, Reimu has lost many of her memories."
The two observers watched the scene before them, where the magician and the shrine maiden playfully bickered, and they couldn't help but smile at the newfound camaraderie.
--
As Ai left to attend to a request and Ina followed to assist her, the shrine's peaceful atmosphere was once again just shared by Reimu and Marisa.
Marisa playfully teased, "I didn't think you already had a lover. You move fast."
Reimu chuckled, her gaze distant as if reminiscing, "I didn't plan for it, but I suppose things just fell into place."
Marisa nodded, acknowledging, "Well, at least you've chosen the right people. They didn't deceive you."
With a confident smile, Reimu replied, "I'm not easily deceived."
Marisa's expression turned mischievous as she suggested, "So, shall we have that spar we talked about earlier?"
Reimu sighed playfully, her tone reflecting a sense of inevitability, "It seems we always come back to that, don't we?"
--
2 / 2
Marisa found herself faceplanted on the ground, her clothes bearing scorched marks from the encounter.
Reimu declared her victory, a hint of amusement in her voice, "I win."
Marisa picked herself up, dusting off her clothes as she questioned, "I didn't think those red glowing amulets were explosives, unlike the regular red amulets?"
Reimu's response was nonchalant, "I guess."
Curiosity piqued, Marisa asked, "How many kinds of amulets do you have?"
Reimu began to explain, "I have white amulets that can remain stationary in the air until I change their colors. Blue amulets damage the soul, and the glowing blue ones are homing amulets. Red amulets harm the physical body while glowing red ones are explosive. Violet ones are both homing and explosive, and finally, the orange ones explode to damage the soul."
Marisa's eyes widened in realization, "So you're telling me that when we first met and I got hit by a thousand blue amulets, my soul could have been destroyed?"
Reimu assured her, "Not at all. At most, it would've given you phantom pain. I adjusted the power output of the amulets."
Marisa sighed, her tone somewhat regretful, "Now I feel bad because every spell of mine is always at a hundred percent."
Reimu's voice carried a playful challenge, "Don't be. Because I doubt you could hit me with your attack."
Marisa's competitive spirit flared up, "Huh?! You wanna go?!"
Reimu's confident smirk remained, "Try me."
Once more, Reimu emerged victorious in their playful duel, solidifying her skill and dominance. The banter between them continued, adding to the layers of their growing friendship.
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