The Disillusioned Land

Chapter 17 - A new Directive

I check myself for any other injuries I may have before getting off the ground, wouldn't want to try standing only to suddenly realize both my legs are broken. Thankfully everything seems to be in working order, I can feel sensation in every limb, my heart is beating at a normal rate, and my lungs work. The rash on my stomach has vanished completely and my broken nose has somehow recovered miraculously. I'm in tip top shape like never before and feel absolutely fantastic on top of that. I then notice a weird talisman attached to my chest, assuming nothing of it I tear it off and throw it away. As much as I'd love to run a marathon right about now, I still have this whole 'waking up in a forest with a shrine maiden' thing to work out. I went over to check my fellow compatriot in this odd scenario we found ourselves in, and it took me less than a second to recognize just who it was. Reimu Hakurei, I had not expected us to meet again so soon. I went to pick up a stick to prod her a little with it to wake her up, but as I got close I heard a deep snore rise out of her, was she actually just sleeping? On closer inspection I noticed some darkened circles under her eyes. Poor girl, must be overworked trying to keep things nice and quiet for people like me. As much as I would like to let her keep resting I'd rather have her be sleeping in a bed than sleeping on the dirty ground like this, plus I think she would track me down to the ends of the earth if she found out I just left her here in this defenseless state here. I poke her a few times with my trusty newfound stick, she crinkles her nose a little, I continue my assault, she begins shifting around a little and mumbles something.

"...Kasen, please...just five...more minutes..." to think I would see the day I would be calling the Hakurei Shrine maiden of all people adorable, but I digress, I'm sorry miss Reimu but I need you in the waking world just about now. I changed tactics from poking her with a stick to just shaking her awake, which has about as much effect as the stick poking did, so then I tried clapping my hands near her ears which seems to have almost woken her up. I raised my foot and slammed it on the space next to her head, and eyes shot wide open

"AH-WHAT THE-WHO-WHY?!" she jolts upwards onto her feet and pulls out a bunch of needles in a panic, then calms down when she realizes it's just me "oh... it's you again" she says in a tone of both relief and what seems to animosity

"Have a pleasant dream?" I quip at her, she points the needles in her right hand at me

"Silence, give me reason to not exterminate you right here and now" her eyes formed an icy glare at me, I sweat a little at the sudden act of hostility she's giving me. I am suddenly reminded of my first meeting with Kyoko and how similarly it went with what's going on now. Are all the Hakurei shrine maidens just like this?

"Did...did Kyoko tell you anything?" I anxiously ask

"She did tell me things, your strange behavior, the weird things you said to her in that chamber with the lunarians, and how you seemed to know what exactly was going on back there. Everything pointed to you working with that Yukari, and yet Kyoko claimed you fought against her. Explain yourself."

"I...It's gonna be a long story if you would be so kind to let me explain it all, I'm sure you would understand my side of things"

She takes a moment to contemplate my response, after a moment of rumination she speaks up again

"Fine, but don't you dare leave out any important details" she lowered the arm she pointed at me and sat down, which I followed in suit.

"Right, this all began when..."

...

It felt like I've shaved off years of my life trying to explain that all to her, she was staring intently at me the entire time but I wonder if that was in concentration or she was zoning out, I really hope it's the former because I am not repeating all that.