Love Letter
Index
Love Letter
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...Huh?
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What... happened?
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I... I was...
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...
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Where am I?
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It's dark. There's nothing here.
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So... boring...
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I think I just woke up. But it also feels like I've been here forever.
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My consciousness drifts back and forth between deep sleep and a hazy awareness...
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...
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Again and again, I keep thinking the same thoughts. I forget them, and then it starts over...
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At least, I think that's what's happening. My thoughts are slowing down... fading... falling apart...
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...
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...
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It's only a feeling. There's no way to be sure.
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...
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But I feel that I've relived this same moment, countless times, before I fall asleep in the darkness.
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It always ends with the same question.
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Even though I know nothing will change, I'm about to ask it again.
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This isn't me being stubborn. It's a pattern, a fate that I must follow.
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Anyone in my place would do the same. The question is a chant, cried in unison.
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The last words...
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...echoed by the dying.
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Who am I?
Aya Shameimaru.
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Right...
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I'm Aya Shameimaru.
Aya
...
Aya
...
Aya
This is...
Aya
...
Aya
(Get it together, Aya Shameimaru. Think.)
Aya
(I'm Gensokyo's finest reporter. I've got all the info.)
Aya
(I even know, and properly understand, things that the sages and the Tenma are blind to.)
Aya
(If I don't know something, nobody knows it. So, it's my duty to understand what's happening.)
Aya
(Think, Aya Shameimaru. What is this? When? Where?)
Aya
...
Aya
(There are humans. But this isn't the village. And they don't look or act like the humans in Gensokyo.)
Aya
(They don't talk the same, either. They're using a bunch of words that I recognize but have never heard spoken before.)
Aya
(They were written in books and magazines from the outside world. Is that where I am?)
Aya
...
Aya
(First things first. I should head outside.)
Aya
(There are humans everywhere. This must be the outside world.)
Aya
(When I woke up, my wings were already hidden. Does that mean I knew this was the outside world?)
Aya
(If all these humans saw a tengu walking around, who knows what they'd do to me.)
Aya
(Knowing that, did I come here willingly, disguised as a human? Why? And more importantly, why did I forget?)
Aya
(And why is this bothering me now...? I don't know. I need more information.)
Aya
(They might think I'm suspicious if I suddenly start asking questions. I should try and blend in with the humans for now.)
Aya
(That's a really big building. That shop, that cafe, I was in before, seems to have only been a small part of it.)
Aya
(I stepped out to get a better look, but there's a flood of people heading back inside.)
Aya
(Ah, I see. It must be a station―a place people go to go somewhere else. I should check it out.)
Aya
...
Aya
(A train... The noises it's making aren't real. They must've been added to enhance the experience.)
Aya
(No matter how far they come, humans can't forget the past. No, that's not quite right. They cling to it, scared to let it go.)
Aya
(They try to preserve the things they loved, even if it means stuffing them full of cotton. But in the end, they still forget.)
Aya
(There can't be many humans left who still remember the sound of a train running on rails.)
Aya
(So there's no reason that this stupidly efficient train, that doesn't sway or suddenly stop, should replicate those sounds.)
Aya
(Humans don't live long. Their civilization persists, but it is a box whose contents are constantly being replaced.)
Aya
(Humans are too flawed to pass on all their knowledge to the next generation. Most of it is lost when they die.)
Aya
(So, they have to rely on their material civilization. But it's just a box.)
Aya
(Does it fulfill any other purpose? Or is it all just a waste?)
Aya
(The train stopped. It took me 10 minutes to reach the platform and board the train.)
Aya
(Then, another 53 minutes of travel time. Judging from the view out the window... this must be Kyoto.)
Aya
...
Aya
(OK. I'll get off here.)
Aya
Argh...
Aya
(I don't get it. How many days have passed since then...?)
Aya
(I've got so many questions, but I haven't managed to ask any. Not a single one!)
Aya
(There are so many voices, so many people chatting, and yet... it feels so empty. It makes me feel empty too.)
Aya
(I was planning to interview every human I could...)
Aya
(But now... It feels like it'd be a complete waste of time.)
Aya
(What are all these outside world humans even talking about? I can tell it's not just meaningless chatter, but...)
Aya
(Hang on. What's got me so bothered? Why don't I want to ask them questions anymore?)
Aya
(It's like something is missing. But what? If I find that, then surely...!)
Aya
...
Aya
(Haha, who am I kidding? That'd be the same as trying to look for a white crow tengu.)
Aya
(Stupid. I'm so stupid.)
Aya
...
Aya
(Speaking of tengu... There's no way a tengu should be able to live here in the outside world.)
Aya
(No one believes in tengu anymore. And even if someone did, they wouldn't be scared of us.)
Aya
(Even if I were one of the ancient tengu, who were practically gods, that wouldn't change anything.)
Aya
(The miracles, wonders, and blessings of gods... are as nothing compared to what these humans are capable of.)
Aya
(At the tap of a button, they can have water, sunlight, fertile soil, crops, sturdy houses, warm clothes, and information.)
Aya
(It's like they've all become kings and queens.)
Aya
(They don't need to believe in gods or fear youkai. They can just worry about and care for their own needs.)
Aya
(They don't even need to believe in other people.)
Aya
...
Aya
(It's no good.)
Aya
(This must be how everyone disappeared. In all my time here, I haven't seen any familiar faces.)
Aya
(Not a single one.)
Aya
(Not Lady Iizunamaru, not Miss Momiji, not even Hatate...)
Aya
(They must have all...)
Aya
...
Aya
......
Aya
It's dark. There's nothing here.
Aya
So... boring...
Aya
Oh, that's what's missing...
Aya
There's no wind here...
*plop*
???
Your ice has melted, so I added some more.
Aya
What a strange thing to say...
Aya
What kinda waiter goes around adding ice to drinks?
Aya
Are you stupid?
Aya
...Huh.
???
Let me know if you need anything else.
Aya
H-H-Hang on! Wait up!
???
What is it?
Aya
Umm, you're Miss Cirno... right?
???
*visible confusion*
Aya
I'm not sure what I said next. I was desperate.
Aya
Fairies are avatars of Mother Nature. No creature, except for humans, is more tenacious and enduring. I knew that.
Aya
Still... this caught me by surprise.
Aya
It was like I had found an oasis in a desert. I didn't know what happened, or what I should do...
Aya
Of course, Miss Cirno was just as clueless. But I had to talk to her.
Aya
I felt... I don't really know how to explain it. I wasn't happy or excited.
Aya
It was like a mix between panic and relief, like I was stuck between two minds.
Aya
Words just came tumbling out of my mouth, and I kept tripping over them.
Aya
Now I get it... I was feeling nostalgic.
Cirno
I brought a guest. You told me to come back if I had any questions, right?
Aya
(I remember this place...)
Aya
(Kourindou, a shop selling secondhand junk run by a half-human half-youkai. It had really bad reviews.)
Aya
(Why is it here in the outside world?)
???
So you remembered.
???
Though maybe it would've been better if you didn't. Seems you brought more work for me.
???
Welcome. What can I do for you?
Aya
Rinnosuke Morichika...?
???
...
Rinnosuke
Yes, that's my name. Did you come all the way here to ask me that?
Rinnosuke
No, you were brought here, weren't you?
Rinnosuke
But instead of a cow bringing you to a temple, it was...
Rinnosuke
That's an... interesting look. Much different from last time.
Cirno
What do you want me to say? She called me Cirno.
Cirno
So, the way I look and the way I speak changed to match. It's not like I wanted this.
Rinnosuke
Well, you seem pretty happy about it, even if you're not really committing to the bit.
Cirno
Shut up.
Aya
Umm, excuse me. I'm not really sure what's going on, and listening to you two is making me even more confused...
Aya
This is Kourindou, right? Why is there a Kourindou in the outside world?
Rinnosuke
The outside world?
Aya
And are you saying she isn't Miss Cirno?
Rinnosuke
That's a lot of questions.
Rinnosuke
First, this isn't Kourindou, much to my dismay.
Rinnosuke
Ah, right. I haven't properly introduced myself yet. This is always such a hassle.
Rinnosuke
Welcome to Kourin's Otherworldly Books. We don't have everything. Only what's on the shelves.
Aya
What a strange place...
Rinnosuke
Strange? There's nothing strange about it.
Rinnosuke
In fact, nothing is strange, period. That's a quote from one of my favorite books.
Rinnosuke
This is just an ordinary secondhand bookstore located on the outskirts of Kyoto.
Rinnosuke
And I'd appreciate it if you didn't treat it as some kinda co-op like those university students.
Rinnosuke
Anyway, I can guess why you're here. Which is lucky, since you still haven't told me.
Rinnosuke
I don't have the time to deal with all your inane questions.
Rinnosuke
Even if the only customers I get are students looking for knowledge they can't acquire at this nation's top university.
Rinnosuke
Which is definitely saying something. It's not like they'll find anything of so-called worth in a place like this.
Rinnosuke
But there's no accounting for taste. The more particular you are in your desires, the more foolish and vulgar you appear.
Rinnosuke
Still, curiosity is unrelenting. It cannot be stopped. If it could, it wouldn't be curiosity.
Rinnosuke
Now then, if you want my help, you're gonna have to show me what you're curious about. That's my condition.
Rinnosuke
And if you don't like it, leave. Time is precious, and neither of us should waste it.
Aya
*speechless*
Aya
(What a rude shopkeeper! He's even worse than the Rinnosuke I remember!)
Aya
(But he sounds so sure about everything he says. There's no hesitation. And I find myself agreeing with him...)
Aya
(Curiosity, huh?)
Cirno
Before, you asked if I was actually Cirno, right?
Aya
Um, yeah...
Cirno
There's no point in thinking about stuff like that. If you see me as Cirno, then I'm Cirno.
Aya
But what about how you see yourself? What about your identity?
Cirno
That's what I'm saying. I have my own conception of who I am.
Cirno
There's no need for our conceptions to match. In fact, how are you even supposed to compare them?
Cirno
You're you, and I'm me. And your idea of me only belongs to you.
Cirno
That's all, stupid.
Aya
I think I get what you're saying, but that seems like a sad way to look at things.
Rinnosuke
Is that what you're curious about? It's not very interesting.
Aya
Umm, maybe? I'm curious about other stuff too...
Aya
Ayayaya. This isn't good, is it? If you kicked me out now, I doubt I'd have much grounds to complain...
Rinnosuke
*sigh* All right. Let me do you a favor.
Rinnosuke
I don't usually do this, so be grateful.
Rinnosuke
You should have a question that you need answering above all others. And I'm the only one you can ask.
Rinnosuke
Remember it.
Aya
...!
Aya
(Doing me a favor, he says.)
Aya
(I'm guessing he's met others in the same predicament as me.)
Aya
(And they all came here with the same questions. That's why it sounds like he's reading off a script.)
Aya
(But this is my first time here. At least, I think it is. If I've been here before, I don't remember it.)
Aya
(Luckily, I'm pretty sure I know what question he's talking about.)
Aya
What happened to Gensokyo?
Rinnosuke
It vanished.
Aya
The shopkeeper continued, "So that's what you were curious about. Typical. It's exactly what I expected."
Aya
"All right, I'll give you a more in-depth answer. I have a few theories about what happened."
Aya
"Someone must've exposed the Great Hakurei Barrier, using a different method from what Sumireko did in the past."
Aya
"In other words, Gensokyo was discovered."
Aya
"This caused Gensokyo's layered space to instantly unfold, and its wound-up time to instantly unravel."
Aya
"All the work that went into creating Gensokyo came apart at the seams, and it cannot be returned to how it was."
Aya
"Still, can you really blame the person who caused this?"
Aya
"All they did was follow their curiosity. The barrier was there, so they exposed it."
Aya
"If there's a mountain, you climb it. If there's an ocean, you swim in it. If there's a game, you play it..."
Aya
"They exposed the barrier because they wanted to know what would happen."
Aya
"Could there be a more pure and honest form of curiosity? Say what you want, but I cannot fault them."
Aya
"The culprit was likely the last human who would've been welcome in Gensokyo."
Aya
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Aya
"Curious humans no longer exist in this world. Curiosity has been lost."
Aya
"It has been lost from humanity, from this time, from civilization, from Earth, from the universe."
Aya
"Curiosity is gone, and the reason for this is self-evident. Humanity has outgrown it."
Aya
"Humans no longer need curiosity. Or, at the very least, they no longer need to act upon it."
Aya
"Need... Such an ugly word. The irony is that curiosity doesn't care about needs in the slightest."
Aya
"To put it simply: humans have stopped playing, stopped having fun."
Aya
"Their last bit of fun was to expose a barrier. And so, that human deserves to be the last entrant to Gensokyo."
Aya
"But this also meant that Gensokyo no longer served any purpose. In that sense, its time had come to an end."
Aya
"No, its end had probably been decided long before that, back when incidents stopped occurring."
Aya
"Someone should've foreseen that there would be a last visitor to Gensokyo and come up with a plan to address it."
Aya
"But nobody could, or perhaps those who could just decided not to."
Aya
"There's room for speculation there, if you were so inclined, which I'm not."
Aya
Having said his piece, the grumpy shopkeeper dismissed me and headed toward the back of his shop.
Aya
In a panic, I called him back. I still didn't know what to do.
Aya
He said, "What do YOU want to do?"
Aya
I hate it when people throw my questions back at me. They distort my words, if only slightly.
Aya
But getting angry wouldn't help. I needed all the info I could get. So, my only real option was to answer from the heart.
Aya
"I want to bring back Gensokyo."
Aya
That simple answer was like a gust of wind, breathing new life into me.
Aya
(We went back to Tokyo, then changed trains to a local line. But all the trains are fast, so it didn't take long.)
Aya
(In the end, we spent most of our time employing the most ancient form of locomotion―walking.)
Aya
(With all the advances in technology, walking actually made it feel more like we were going on an adventure.)
Aya
(And that feeling only got stronger as we got further away from the cities. The only way to get anywhere here is to walk.)
Aya
(I suppose I could've flown, but who knows where humans might be watching.)
Aya
(Also, I was kinda scared to try. What if I can't fly anymore?)
Aya
Still... we really are in the middle of nowhere.
Aya
I want to bring back Gensokyo. I don't see how coming all the way out here's gonna help.
Cirno
Quit yapping and let's get this over with.
Aya
...It's kinda reassuring seeing you in that outfit.
Cirno
Shut up. I couldn't exactly wear this on the train now, could I? I had to wear normal clothes. Now, help me look.
Aya
(She doesn't really speak like Miss Cirno...)
Aya
Oh, right. I'll help.
Aya
...
Aya
(What are we even looking for? And why didn't Mister Rinnosuke...)
Cirno
Keep looking, tengu. But while you look, you can also listen.
Aya
Umm, OK.
Cirno
Don't just assume that Rinnosuke's been loafing around ever since Gensokyo vanished. He did what he could.
Aya
...
Cirno
Gensokyo's gone. It doesn't exist anymore. So, he tried to find a way to make it again.
Aya
You mean make another Gensokyo?
Cirno
Yes. If something doesn't exist, your only option is to make it.
Cirno
Or, I guess, some people might be able to just give up. But Rinnosuke couldn't. It'd break his heart.
Aya
But... how would you make a Gensokyo?
Cirno
How do you think?
Aya
Hmm...
Aya
You'd need a place where youkai could gather, something to draw them there, and a barrier to keep the outside world out.
Cirno
Nope. That won't work. None of those things exist in this world as it is now.
Aya
Yeah, but... How else could you make a Gensokyo?
Cirno
Is that all you can come up with, you stupid tengu?
Aya
S-Stupid?! Have you looked in a mirror?!
Cirno
But you're not wrong.
Aya
Huh?
Cirno
Me and Rinnosuke traveled the length of Japan, looking for some other way. This is one of the places we stopped at.
Cirno
But we couldn't find one. Of course we couldn't.
Aya
Then...
Cirno
But we did find this place, and several others like it.
Aya
Yeah, I was wondering about that. What is this place anyway?
Cirno
I told you to keep looking.
Aya
Sorry...
Cirno
Honestly, I don't really know what this place is. But if I were to guess...
Aya
Yes?
Cirno
Gensokyo might've originally been created in a place like this.
Aya
Seriously?!
Cirno
I said, "might've." I suppose it's more of a hope than a guess―shared by Rinnosuke and me.
Aya
*sigh*
Aya
(So it's just wishful thinking? That's no help at all...)
Cirno
I'm sure you'll come to the same conclusion we did.
Cirno
Once you see what's here.
Aya
What do you mean?
Cirno
By the way, have you ever read the Gensokyo Record?
Cirno
I haven't. I'm a fairy, so I couldn't have.
Cirno
But I'm guessing you have, so you can tell me what was written in it.
Cirno
Who created the Great Barrier?
Aya
Hm?
Aya
(She must be talking about the Gensokyo Record stored at Hakurei Shrine.)
Aya
(I'm not sure if it was meant to be a secret, but it was just lying on a table in the shrine office, so I skimmed through it.)
Aya
If I remember right, it said a bunch of priests sealed Gensokyo away 'cause the human world didn't need it...
Aya
Ah, now I see. This contradicts other records.
Aya
The Gensokyo Chronicle said the sages made the barrier.
Cirno
Yes. Gensokyo's sages probably weren't all priests in the human world.
Cirno
So, does that mean one of the records is wrong?
Cirno
Maybe. But there's another possibility.
Aya
What?
Cirno
Both things happened independently, at the same time.
Cirno
This means it might be possible to influence the creation of Gensokyo from the outside world.
Aya
The more you speak, the less you sound like Miss Cirno...
Aya
I was searching, but I wasn't really looking. That soon changed.
Aya
I was surrounded by things that should no longer exist.
Aya
Books that were out of print, toys I wanted as a kid...
Aya
Video games my parents wouldn't buy me, encyclopedias forgotten on the bookshelf after I got sick of rereading them...
Aya
Dolls that I hadn't seen in ages, postcards featuring pictures of random locations...
Aya
Photos that had faded and become blurry, tools that I forgot where I put...
Aya
Finished and unfinished collections, and collections that I wished I had but was unable to start.
Aya
I'm a tengu, so I shouldn't have these memories. They belong to someone who was born in this world and grew up in it.
Aya
But somehow I understood them. All these things are precious, nostalgic, and old.
Aya
They're comforting but fragile. It's like they could disappear at any moment, and that makes them beautiful.
Aya
I shouldn't remember them, but I find myself wondering why I forgot them.
Aya
That's what Miss Cirno and I found.
Aya
I wrote down what we found and where we found them.
Aya
We traveled to many different places, and at each stop we found something nostalgic.
Aya
I'm a journalist, so it's my duty to report my findings.
Aya
We found so much I wanted to share, but only some of it could be put into words.
Aya
It's vexing. But, even so, I have to keep writing.
Aya
There's always more to write.
Aya
Miss Cirno offered to help, and in time, she became my assistant, my partner.
Aya
It seems she hadn't had much practice writing. So I taught her.
Aya
She was a big help. Truly.
Aya
And I never expected...
Aya
...it to be so much fun.
Aya
But all things come to an end.
Cirno
We finally did it. At least, I think we did.
Cirno
We found some pretty interesting stuff, especially in that old pub near the ruins.
Aya
Ayayaya? Why are you dressed as a maid again?
Cirno
'Cause this is what I was wearing when we first met.
Cirno
It was fun. Thanks.
Aya
Same here...
Cirno
See ya.
Aya
Hm?
Rinnosuke
You certainly took your time. How'd it go?
Aya
Take a look...
Rinnosuke
Hmm...
Rinnosuke
I don't understand. How is this supposed to bring back Gensokyo?
Rinnosuke
I feel a headache coming on...
Aya
Hahaha. I thought you'd say something like that.
Rinnosuke
Still, this shouldn't cause any major problems.
Aya
Come again?
Rinnosuke
Go and take this with you. I found it using the time you bought me.
Aya
Th-That's my notebook, my Bunkachou!
Rinnosuke
Thought so. That's why I'm giving it to you.
Rinnosuke
You don't even have to pay for it.
Aya
H-How do you have this?
Rinnosuke
Don't ask. I'll definitely charge you for that.
Aya
Eep!
Rinnosuke
You had forgotten that you had lost it. But now you have remembered, and it is in your hands again.
Rinnosuke
It's like a metaphor for your memories. It can help you cross a non-existent boundary and bring you to the lost Gensokyo.
Aya
Sorry, you've completely lost me.
Rinnosuke
I could try explaining it, but you'd never understand. The world would probably end first.
Aya
Let's not do that then.
Rinnosuke
Just know that it only has meaning in your possession. To anyone else, it's just a piece of junk.
Rinnosuke
It has no use to me, either. It's not even worth selling. But if you don't want it, I'll return it to the not-for-sale shelf.
Aya
N-No, I'll take it! Thank you so much!
Aya
But if this is the key to bringing back Gensokyo, what were Miss Cirno and I doing all this time?
Aya
Was our search completely pointless...?
Rinnosuke
Maybe. How should I know? All I know is that I had some time to spare, which I used to find that notebook.
Rinnosuke
...
Rinnosuke
But even I don't know how I found it. It wouldn't surprise me if your search enabled that somehow.
Aya
You're saying that Miss Cirno and I helped you find my notebook by looking for a ritual to restore Gensokyo?
Rinnosuke
I'm saying I don't know. But if I'm being honest, I'd guess the two things are unrelated.
Aya
Haha, that's what I thought.
Rinnosuke
Still, you can do this.
Aya
I can put a letter in my notebook?
Rinnosuke
Yes. By storing it within the notebook's pages, you can take memories with you to other worlds.
Aya
Oh, wow. But, ummm... Miss Cirno and I wrote quite a lot of letters together.
Rinnosuke
There's no way they'll all fit in one envelope. I say you pick one thing and take that.
Aya
Only one...?
Aya
(If only I knew this before writing them. But if I have to choose...)
Aya
Hmm, this isn't easy.
Aya
With my notebook back, I think I can use my ability to manipulate the wind to travel to other worlds.
Aya
It won't be easy, but yeah, I'm sure I can do it.
Aya
But I can only take myself. What about you two?
Rinnosuke
Me? I'm staying here.
Rinnosuke
This is where I belong. I'm sure the mes in other worlds will do what needs doing.
Rinnosuke
I will disappear along with this world. No, I'll probably lose my purpose and fade away before that.
Rinnosuke
I'll just be following all the others that are already gone. It's no big deal.
Aya
R-Right...
Aya
(It's almost scary how calm he is about this...)
Aya
But what about Miss Cirno? Is she going to disappear too?
Aya
I'd like to at least say goodbye first...
Rinnosuke
Cirno? Oh, her...
Rinnosuke
It's too late. She's already gone.
Aya
...What?
Rinnosuke
She's probably somebody else by now. She was occupying one of the few remaining niches, after all.
Rinnosuke
In this world devoid of fantasy, beings like you and me are special. Our existence is a luxury.
Rinnosuke
You'll just have to accept that.
Rinnosuke
Your journey is far from over. You will experience things like this over and over again.
Rinnosuke
If it makes you feel sad, you should hurry to your destination.
Aya
...
Rinnosuke
I've been talking too long. I need to get back to work.
Rinnosuke
Time is precious, and neither of us should waste it.
Aya
...
Aya
I see...
Aya
But if I knew that I'd...
Aya
No, that wouldn't have changed anything.
Aya
I'm a crow tengu journalist. I see, I write, and I report. That's all I can do.
Rinnosuke
Does that make you feel powerless?
Aya
No.
Aya
I'll take this message and deliver it.
Aya
I know what letter I'm taking. It's the first one we wrote together after I taught Miss Cirno how to write.
Aya
What do you think?
Rinnosuke
Why are you asking me?
Rinnosuke
I don't really care...
Rinnosuke
But I suppose there are worse things you could've picked.
Aya
Thank you.
Aya
I'm going now...
Rinnosuke
Good luck.
???
Weak. You're all weak.
Reimu
What's up with her? Is she a me from another world?
Marisa
I've never met a more troublesome shrine maiden. Can't we use your laziness to cancel her out or something?
Sakuya
If it were that easy, she would've fled already.
Youmu
Reinforcements! We need reinforcements! We might be able to beat her if we all attack together!
Sanae
Maybe if we get backed up by someone with a super-powerful ability, they can deal with her!
Reisen
If miracles don't work, I don't see how any other abilities are gonna help!
???
Even now, you're still fooling around. Seems that's a trait common to all those who lived in Gensokyo.
???
But the most foolish one of all is the incumbent shrine maiden of Hakurei Shrine...
???
Reimu Hakurei.
Reimu
What are you even talking about?!
???
Once I eliminate you, it will all come to an end. Remember that if you ever get a second chance.
Reimu
But you're Reimu Hakurei, too!
???
Enough talk.
???
This ends now!
???
...
Reimu
A-Aya?!
Aya
Pull yourself together, Miss Reimu. You're not doing the title of Hakurei shrine maiden any favors.
Reimu
I've never cared about that before, and I'm not gonna start now!
Aya
Haha, seems you still have energy to argue. You should be fine then.
Reimu
C'mon! Let's take her down together, Aya!
Aya
No, no, I can handle this on my own.
Reimu
What are you talking about, you stupid tengu?! She's crazy strong!
Aya
Strong? Yes, I suppose she is...
Aya
But she's still just a human.
Aya
How many have there been?
???
What?
Aya
Hakurei shrine maidens. The other tengu and I have watched over the lineage you both share.
Aya
Some shrine maidens lived long, fruitful lives. Others not so much.
Aya
And more than a few went missing. What do you think happened to them?
Aya
Tengu are pros at making people, making humans disappear. We're kidnappers!
???
A pro kidnapper, huh? Seems even lousy tengu speak the truth sometimes.
???
If you sacrificed yourself to take me away, you might actually succeed. That would be annoying.
???
My extra lives won't get me back here any quicker, so I suppose it would be easier if I retreated on my own.
Aya
*pant* *pant* Th-That would be easier for me, too.
???
But know that the same trick won't work twice. You'll spend every waking moment fearing my return.
???
Until we meet again, descendant of the shrine maidens of Sarutahiko.
