Amidst the bustling city streets, the shrine maiden strolled alongside the lively blonde Magician.
"Where are you going to meet them?" Marisa inquired.
"They said it's a tavern called Marigold," Reimu replied.
Marisa nodded knowingly, her excitement evident. "I know that, and we're heading in the right direction."
With an impulsive burst of energy, Marisa grabbed Reimu's hand and pulled her along.
Reimu couldn't help but think, "What am I? A child?" Despite her inner thought, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as they continued their journey.
--
Reimu and Marisa approached their destination, a tavern known as Marigold, where they were met by familiar faces.
"Reimu, hello!" greeted Hendrickson, his expression lighting up as he saw the shrine maiden.
Marisa chimed in with a friendly wave. "Yo, former Guild Master."
Hendrickson chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "I'm still a Guild Master, just not here."
Marisa shrugged playfully. "Well, you're a former Guild Master in this town."
Hendrickson nodded, a hint of pride in his demeanor. "True, but I still hold my dignity."
Marisa grinned mischievously. "Just like when the best Mercenary pinned you to the wall and proposed to you, and you meekly agreed to become her husband?"
Hendrickson's expression faltered, caught off guard. Beside him, Misrael couldn't help but burst into laughter. "She's got you there, Guild Master!"
Hendrickson sighed, shaking his head. "Why do you still bring that up?"
Marisa chuckled, shaking her head. "I think if someone witnesses that scene, it'll be etched into their memories forever."
Reimu nodded in agreement, a smile playing on her lips.
Hendrickson gestured to the seats. "Let's sit down and talk. The night is young, and the sun will rise later on."
As they settled at a back table in the tavern, Hendrickson turned his attention to Marisa. "So, Marisa, what's your relationship with Reimu? And why are you so close to her?"
Marisa leaned back in her chair, considering the question. "I'd say she's a close friend and my sparring partner."
Hendrickson's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Sparring partner?"
Marisa nodded with a grin. "Yep, we have some intense battles."
Hendrickson looked between Marisa and Reimu, clearly intrigued. "You're holding back, aren't you?"
Marisa shook her head definitively. "Nope, I've tried everything I can, but I can't manage to land a single hit on her."
Hendrickson's gaze shifted to Reimu, who was calmly enjoying her meal. He then turned back to Marisa, his disbelief evident. "Are you serious?"
Marisa nodded in response. "Yes."
She glanced mischievously at Misrael and added, "And please, try not to overfeed her too much, Misrael, or else your wallet might end up empty."
Misrael chuckled in response. "You're exaggerating a bit there."
Marisa shrugged playfully and turned her attention to Hendrickson.
"I'll help," she stated, her interest piqued. "Though I only have a basic idea from Reimu, so could you elaborate on the plan?"
Hendrickson's face lit up with appreciation. "I'm glad you're joining us."
He proceeded to explain the details of the plan to Marisa, their heads leaning in as they delved into the discussion.
--
"Sundew has arrived!" Sun's voice rang out loudly, and her sister Night let out a groan at her exuberance.
"Sorry we're late," Night added, her tone apologetic.
Hendrickson reassured them, saying, "Don't worry, we've just finished explaining our plan to Marisa."
Night's surprise was evident as she looked at Marisa once again.
"Marisa!" Sun exclaimed excitedly, immediately approaching her.
"Yo, Sun and Night, long time no see," Marisa greeted with a friendly smile.
Meanwhile, Misrael was engaged in a futile attempt to persuade Reimu to stop eating, a comical scene unfolding as she worried about her dwindling funds.
"Marisa, I didn't expect you to help us," Sun remarked with genuine surprise.
"Yeah, especially considering your history with Vienna," Night added, her skepticism clear.
"Past is past. I'm pretty sure both of us have let go of our grudges this time," Marisa replied confidently.
--
"Hey, Misrael, what's Marisa's relationship with all of you?" Reimu inquired.
Misrael sighed before answering, "Vinna, Night, Sun, and I formed a party about 6 years ago. Marisa was the youngest member among us."
"She's quite young then," Reimu commented.
"Yeah, and that's where the complications began," Misrael continued. "You see, Vinna wanted her to learn defensive and healing spells, but Marisa vehemently refused. It escalated to the point where their disagreements turned into daily arguments. Eventually, we disbanded the party about 3 years ago."
"I see," Reimu nodded, understanding the dynamics.
As they conversed, the shrine maiden placed an order with the waitress, while Misrael found herself lost in memories of the past. The atmosphere at the table was a mix of discussions about their goals, the sound of food being enjoyed, and even a touch of emotional release as one person shed tears.
--
"Reimu, why do you eat so much? Now Misrael doesn't have any money left," Marisa questioned, a playful tone in her voice.
Reimu looked up from her plate, her expression innocent. "But she said I can eat whatever I want, and she can handle it."
Marisa raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Your stomach has infinite space, so that doesn't apply to you."
Reimu nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see."
Observing the situation, the shrine maiden got up from her seat and approached Misrael. With a small smile, she handed over two violet coins to the surprised girl.
"Misrael, the sentiment – I mean, the food – was delicious," Reimu explained.
Confused by the unexpected gesture, the others at the table exchanged puzzled glances, trying to decipher the meaning behind Reimu's words and actions.
--
"Tomorrow is the operation. Are you sure you can handle all the attention?" Marisa inquired, concern evident in her voice.
Reimu reassured her with a calm smile. "Don't worry, I'm used to it."
Marisa glanced out at the sky. "The sun is still up, so we should take on a few quests."
"Sounds like a plan," Reimu agreed, nodding in agreement.
--
As Ai and Ina lounged at the Hakurei Shrine in Gaia, their conversation took a contemplative turn.
"Hey, Ina," Ai began, breaking the peaceful silence.
Ina turned to her with a curious expression. "What's on your mind?"
Ai's gaze wandered to the sky as she pondered. "If Marisa were to fall for Reimu, would you be okay with it?"
Ina considered the question thoughtfully. "I suppose so. While I am Reimu's lover, I can't always be with her due to my idol activities and job commitments. How about you?"
Ai's thoughts seemed to drift along with the clouds. "At the rate I'm going, I think it might be wise to find someone to help me. That way, I could spend more time with her. The shrine's popularity keeps growing too."
Ina nodded in understanding. "It's true, we both have our challenges to balance."
Their conversation was interrupted by a gentle voice that seemed to carry on the breeze.
On the tranquil grounds of the Hakurei Shrine, Ai and Ina were interrupted by a newcomer's voice.
"Hello, is there anyone here?" called out the voice, drawing their attention.
Curious, Ai and Ina walked to the front of the shrine, where they were met by the sight of a blonde samurai.
"Oh, it's Iroha-chan," Ina greeted with a warm smile.
Iroha's face lit up with recognition. "Ah, Ina-senpai, nice to see you here."
Ina's curiosity got the better of her. "What brings you to the shrine, Iroha-chan?"
Iroha's expression turned earnest. "I'm looking for my partner or party member, Hakurei Reimu. I have a quest, and I need her help."
Ai couldn't help but mumble to herself. "I didn't think this would become a potential issue."
She frowned, contemplating the situation. "Reimu and her habits of getting involved with innocent people..."
Deciding to intervene, Ai suggested, "Why not take a seat inside? We can discuss this further there."
--
As they discussed the situation, Ina voiced her concern. "This does carry quite heavy consequences."
Ai nodded in agreement, her brow furrowed. "Indeed, it seems we've stumbled into a rather difficult situation."
Iroha's voice was tinged with worry. "Did I perhaps cause too much trouble?"
Ai's response was swift and direct. "Not at all, Iroha-chan. It's Reimu's fault this time."
Ina chimed in, echoing the sentiment. "It's her fault this time."
Iroha let out a relieved sigh. "Is that so..."
Ina offered reassurance with a smile. "Don't worry, Iroha-chan. We'll make sure justice is served for you."
Iroha's demeanor shifted as realization dawned on her. "Why do I suddenly feel like something's not quite right... Oh, I need to meet with Lap-dono. There are some things we have to discuss."
With a final farewell, Iroha said, "Goodbye," and Ina responded, "Take care!"
Ina's voice carried a weight of concern. "This situation has some quite heavy consequences."
--
Reimu's voice carried a sense of unease. "Why do I have this unsettling feeling that something bad might happen?"
Marisa's response was brisk and determined. "Stop worrying and keep up, we're almost there. Let's hurry."
--
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Why are some scenes repeated but with different words? Like the iroho thingy
I've been using other applications and copying and pasting what I do there into this space... so, yeah, I pasted twice. Thanks for the heads up.