Tradition's End (A Touhou Project Fanfiction)

A Magician's Duel

Four days had passed before Eric decided to take another day off.

With no other plans for the day, he once again found himself within the Forest of Magic. Basket in hand, he followed the winding trail that was starting to feel just the slightest bit familiar. The late morning sun filtered sporadically through the leaves, dappling the forest floor.

...

Honestly, it was a little strange just how little trouble he was having walking within the Forest. Not even a single fairy had bothered him. Was it because he wasn't very fun to play danmaku with?

...Not that he minded the quiet.

...

Near the halfway point, he began to second guess himself.

I know she said to seek out her company, but what if this is too soon? How often is too often, anyways? I, uh, hope this isn't too forward.

~~~~~~Tradition's End~~~~~~

Alice knelt down at the edge of her garden to inspect a large green leaf. It was broad and healthy looking. No withering or discoloration were present. No sign of garden pests or the holes they leave behind. She let go of the leaf and it sprang back to its original position.

Satisfied, she stood up and dusted off her dress.

Her garden was thriving, and she felt a sense of pride as she looked it over. The first harvest of the year would surely be a good one.

The puppeteer took a step back as her dolls set to work, plucking the few weeds that had sprouted overnight. Then, they began to water the garden, carrying little watering cans as they did so.

Shanghai was among them, wearing a little straw hat.

She'd... had to use magically generated water. Sure, it was incredibly pure, but that actually made it an inferior substitute. It lacked the nuance that natural rainwater had.

Still, it proved to be good enough for Alice's garden, if for no other reason than it was present. The last time it rained was nearly two months ago when there were still little patches of snow on the ground.

We are truly overdue for a good rain.

...

While she did not enjoy flying through a downpour, Alice did appreciate rainy days.

It contributed to the health of her yard and the forest beyond it. It kept pranksters and troublemakers at bay. It gave her another good reason to stay inside her cozy house and enjoy a good book by the fire. The pattering of raindrops against her roof was a sort of music in its own right.

...

"Hello, Alice!"

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a cheerful greeting. She turned towards the source of the voice, only to find Eric waving at her, stepping through the front gate.

The dollmaker was... not expecting any visitors. It was her new friend though, so it was fine. "Hello? What... brings you here today?"

"I came to visit! Um, if that's okay. Did you, uh, have any plans?" he said, losing a bit of confidence near the end.

Alice nodded. "I had planned to inspect the quality of my supply of reagents today," she started.

Eric's expression fell slightly.

"But I could be convinced to delay that," she finished with just a hint of playfulness.

He perked back up and held his basket high. "I brought snacks!"