Touhou - Impure Dreams about a Strange Land

A Friendship as real as a Punch

A month has passed. Patchouli became more amicable after our chat, and now she hangs out in my room a lot more. She started to feel interested in my cellphone, so I let het fiddle with it every once in a while (after locking some very important folders, of course). You don't know how much I laughed, it was like watching an old person trying to figure out how to use a brand new phone.

Still, she didn't back down, telling me that the technology from my world had the same principles as magic. I don't really get it. I know a little bit of coding, but trying to pursue that career didn't feel magical, it felt like punishment.

Besides that, Patchouli is pretty alright. She didn't lose her sarcastic side, and she can be a smartass when she wants to, but at least she's not as cold as before. She mentioned a few interesting people in our conversations though. I can't recall some of them, but two sticked out to me: Alice and Byakuren. Why? Well, Patchouli told me those two are magicians like herself, but they were humans just like me, before they transformed into youkai.

Hearing that was terrifying. What is going to happen to me if I stay in Gensokyo for too long? It's been a month already, and I'm not progressing with this stupid quest Yukari forced upon me, and honestly... I don't see an end to this. I miss my family... I wonder how they are right now... I hope they didn't realize I just dissapeared out of nowhere. Mom worries so much for me

As hospitable as things have become here, I can't let this peace disuade me from returning home. And I should do it before the mistress of this place arrives. From what I heard from almost everyone here, Remilia is a walking contradiction. She's fearsome and powerful, but Sakuya mocks her even though she's her maid. She likes to read children books, and quite often asks Sakuya to read to her those books, but she supposedly has a really scary reputation, to the point that not even youkai are willing to deal with her. And her younger sister? That's a whole 'nother problem.

Even though I'm still weak, my wounds are almost completely healed. I should leave while I still can. I grab the few things I have, putting on the yukata and the hat I used when I first arrived here and made my way to the main door. Some fairy maids stared at me but they kept on doing their things. Luckily, I don't see Sakuya, and Patchouli is probably sleeping. The sun is up and if I leave now, I might reach the village before evening.

I step outside the mansion. The mist is not as dense as before, maybe the way back to the village won't be too bad. Time to move forward.

"Nobu? Where are you going?" It's Meiling... Way to make my leave way harder than it should.

"Oh, I thought you were on break already." I turn around to face her. "I... uh...  I'm going back to the village."

She pouts, concerned. "You barely recovered and Sakuya is already sending you on an errand? Give me a second, I'll go get her, at least she should go with you!"

"Meiling, wait, this is not an errand. I'm leaving the mansion. For good."

She's shocked at that revelation. "Huh?! What, why? Did something else happen?!"

"No! Everything is okay! It's just... I feel stuck here. I think I need to rethink some things."

Meiling stays silent for a bit. "I understand how you feel. Seriously, I really do, but you can't walk around in this condition! You're still recovering, you don't know how to fight, and you can't use magic on top of that!"

"I know all that! It was a mistake to come here so unprepared, I know. And I'm aware that my luck is going to run out sooner than later, but I can't stay here. I'm barely doing any progress in anything!" Frustration is piling up on me, I know she's worried, but I have to do something or I'll be stuck here forever.

"Look, Meiling, you're the closest thing to a friend I have since I came here. I understand your concern, but I also have to ask you to do the same with me."

"Nobuyuki." Her tone got uncharacteristically serious. "You agreed to be my pupil not long ago. As your master, it is my duty to keep you from doing reckless things and guide you. But if you insist on leaving this place, I shall test your resolve." ...as expected, she's taking a battle stance. "You won't leave this mansion unless you can beat me. Come on, show me your strength!"

Why is everyone so eager to jump to violence in this place?! "Stop being such a kid, I'm not going to fight you."

"And I'm not going to let you leave, take one step further and I'll drag you back inside."

Goddamn it. I take off the hat and the yukata, rising my fists against her. "If you want to get punched so much, don't mind me if I help you!"

 I rush her, throwing punch after punch to no avail. She either blocks or evades me. I tried kicking her but she pushed me away like it was nothing. She's just toying with me, and that's pissing me off.

"Come on! Is that all you got? You're just a child compared to four thousand years of history!"

That's it, I'm tired of her taunting me and playing around, I had enough! "Shut up! Just shut up and start fighting for real!" I keep trying to punch her, but then she takes a step back.

"I warned you, Nobuyuki. Don't blame me if you have to stay in bed for another whole month after this!" This time, she rushes towards me extremely fast. I try to shield myself with my arms, but she breaks through my feeble defenses with just one hit. Then, she gently places her hand close to my chest and a rainbow colored glow start emanating from her palm and finger tips.

A blast of energy comes from her hand, but instead of punching a hole through me, or sending me flying towards the forest, it just pushes me to the ground. It knocked the air out of me, but I was expecting something far more painful than that.

Meiling gets closer to me and offers me her hand. My pride is hurt, and I want to slap her hand away, but she won. It was pretty much decided the moment I threw the first punch. I take her hand and she helps me up, and then pulls me into a hug.

"Nobu, I'm not the closest thing you have to a friend, I AM your friend." Her embrace gets tighter. "I was worried sick when I heard you were badly wounded, how do you think I'm going to feel knowing you're walking around Gensokyo as defenseless as you are now?" She lets me go. Her face is as serious as the tone of her voice. "You're brave, but bravery alone won't get you far." She sighs, her gaze softens and her voice relaxes a bit. "Besides, Yuugi is going to kill me if I let you go without giving you a stroll through Former Hell." She laughs heartily.

I'm frustrated, but she's right. I can't rely solely on luck if I want to get somewhere. But her declaration of friendship pulled my heartstrings. I want to tell her that I'm an outsider, that I just want to go back home, but I can't risk myself like that. "Haaaah... okay, 'master', you win. But I seriously thought I was a goner for a second there."

Meiling giggles as she helps me get inside the mansion. "You're the first pupil in Hong's kwoon, I can't go around beating my only student now, can I?"

"...but you really have to teach me how to do that with your hand though, that was cool. Anyways, is this Yuugi lady cute?"

We keep talking for a while before she went back outside. I still have some time to kill before going back to work tomorrow. I have a few options.

[Check the library: Maybe it is time for me to start considering seriously the idea of casting magic. I should talk to Patchouli so we can start.]

[Go outside: Meiling is not going to let me go that easily, but maybe we can start with the basics today after her shift.]

[Accept Flandre's invitation: I'm going against my better judgment here. I should tell Sakuya first though, I don't want to go into this blind.]