43 The Missing Spring part 3? (1/2)

Author Note: This is embarrassing, context change because author is a careless person, I recheck the wiki, the thing that has been used to seal the tree is Yuyuko's soul, and not Yuyuko's body, Hope you guys read this before reading the rest of the chapter.

Beta: Katanasoul_91.

-Evening, Netherworld-

-My POV-

​

Sprawling on the grass, trying to relax while admiring the night sky and the now glowing sakura tree, an indication of the last stage of this incident, and up in the distance sky, a huge door in a closed condition stay put in the sky.

I'm also doing something else at the same time.

Waiting.

Waiting for the heroine to go pass the Border of Life and arrive in the Netherworld.

You asked as to how I know that?

You're mistaken, I actually don't know if they will come or not.

But then you ask why I sound so sure?

Because tonight is the time when the seal of Saigyouji Ayakashi is lifted, tonight is the time when the Saigyouji Ayakashi will bloom. It's an important event that the heroine will undoubtedly barge in to stop it from happening no matter what.

'…Let's hope that Reimu will listen to me after she beat me in Danmaku….Ho boy, my pessimism is back, hooooo boyyyyyy...'

It has been a couple of day since I'm counseling Youmu with her problem. I think the only notable thing that happened recently is that, I received the notification from the System.

[User participant quota has been met. Reward will be distributed when the incident is finished.]

I saw it after I gave the petal to Youmu two days ago, I know I could quit gathering the petal right there but I didn't do it because it's just plain rude and also I don't like leaving thing incomplete, so I keep gathering them on the next day, but at that day, which is yesterday, Youmu said that I doesn't need to collect them anymore since they have enough, she said her thanks for helping her and her master, she also told me that the Spring will be gradually coming back in 2 days from now on.

With that said, here I'm, without Youmu knowledge, I wait for the heroine to come to explain the situation to them.

…

Guess I'm feeling guilty from keeping the information from the rest of the girls, I wonder what they will say if they knew about me being here, of course using Doppelganger Belt is a no, because I must appear honest by being myself when I met them.

…Is this idea even good in the first place? …No, this idea is never good to begin with, but I'm doing this just to satisfy my own conscience, my logic and feeling are clashing off against one another right now.

'…Tsk, this is the worse.' I hatefully thought, but then I immediately sense something, something big, and its coming toward me.

”?!” I got up to stand on my two feet.

This feeling, it's similar to Youmu but bigger and more powerful.

'It's Yuyuko. It's definitely her. But how can I sense her now? Back when I first saw her, I didn't sense her at all, so why now?…She's letting me sensing her. Why? Intimidation? Probably, but it's not her character to do it. Having a chat with me? Very likely.'

Inhale & exhale.

'….Then there's no choice other than confronting her now.'

After a few more second passed, she finally appeared.

When I saw her, I think the perfect way to describe her is that, she is an Otherworldly Beauty.

[Lv.?? the Ghost Princess of Death, Saigyouji Yuyuko]

A woman appear from behind the tree, floating forward just above the ground without touching it.

She has maroon eyes, short wavy pink hair, and is surrounded by several small formless Phantoms. She wears a light blue and white kimono with dark blue trim and white designs; a blue mob cap on the front with a red ghost insignia; and a veil of the same color of the kimono behind her head. She wears dark shoes with blue ribbons attached.

”Good evening.” she greeted with a smile and a wave.

”G-good evening to you too, Saigyouji-san.” I greeted her back while calling her the super formal way.

”Ara, what a polite child, but you can just call me Yuyuko, I don't mind you know.” she smile while putting her hand on her cheek.

”T-then if you say so, Yuyuko-san.” I said while feeling nervous.

”Fufu.” she lightly laugh, clearly amused with what she see.

After that light greeting, it's silence.

'THE PRESSURE!! WHAT DO I DO NOW?! DO I ASK WHY SHE'S MEETING ME HERE?! WHAT DO I DO?!' I scream internally.

”U-um.” I opened my mouth first but she's the first one who starts the conversation.

”Thank you taking care of Youmu recently, she act more cheerful and confident nowadays, I figured it maybe she talked to you that she changed.”

”P-please don't mention it. It's just a common sense to help someone in trouble. She did look troubled at that time. ”

She covered her mouth with a folding fan. ”And so he says, so can you tell me as to why you decided to help us?”

IT CAME OUT!! THE QUESTION!! SHE ASKED IT!! FUCK ME!! …She's going for the straight route, no bullshit, just answered her honestly, lying in this kind of situation is an absolute no-no.

”Well, I'm sure you already heard it from Youmu-san, I really wanted to see the spring since this is the first time I saw it, so I decided to join in rather than fighting you, I can't really foil your plan, can I?”

'So many key word, I'm giving her information right now, I'm giving veeeery many information to her right now.'

”Is that so, but as of right now, the situation are kinda not fair.”

”Sorry? Not fair??”

”Yes, it's not fair that you know the real reason I started this incident, no?” she said with a 'happy' tone.

I flinched.

Heavy silence. Pink glowing butterfly starts appearing around us.

'…This is bad, if I stay quiet, she definitely knew I knew it, if I say something wrong, there's a possibility that I'll die immediately or get interrogated by her and Yukari, it's the same when I do something stupid, any choice could led me to my death. …If this didn't work then I've to say good bye to my good life.'

I go down on my knee and start looking in her eyes.

”I'm doing this to help every side, Yuyuko-san could finish your objective faster, the spring will come faster, my only objective is to end the incident as fast as possible without any conflict and I assure you that I don't have any slightest evil intention from the very start.”

”…”

The look in her eyes.

Is she judging me? Doubting me? Or maybe calculating the future? Either way, my life is in her hand right now.

After a long silence, she starts looking to the side, to the biggest tree in the Netherworld.

”…So who's soul is it under that tree?” her voice sound sad.

I blinked.

Her figure looks sad but solemn at the same time.

”…It's yours, Yuyuko-san.” I answered with grave tone.

Quietness once again overcame us after I said my word.

A minute passed, in that time, I finally realized the scene in my eyes.

An otherworldly beauty in the midst of glowing sakura tree and butterfly, creating an otherworldly scene that can't be created with any other mean.

It was the most breathtaking scene I saw until now.

As I'm thinking that scene, she finally said something.

”…I see.”

She said that word before floating back into the forest, her butterfly also follow suit, leaving me alone with my lone self.

I touch my cheek, I touch my arm, I feel my hair, I touch my chest, I feel my hearth still beating, I clutch my chest with both of my hand.

”…Ugh, I thought I'm gonna die just now.” I groan.

Now the biggest hurdle in this incident has passed, I think I don't have to worry about anything now.

*BOOOOOOOOOOM* the huge door in the sky suddenly violently swung open.

”WTF?!!” I'm surprised with how loud the sound is.

After I got my bearing, I start searching as to how the door suddenly opened.

Eventually I spot the one who cause it.

It's Reimu.

She's flying with vengeance.

”…Nope.” Fuck that noise.

The original plan was certainly fight Reimu and then explained the reason behind this incident, when she heard it, there's a possibility that Reimu will broke the seal herself after she stop Yuyuko plan, even if she didn't do it, then it's okay, I only want my conscience to feel good, if she asked how I know this, I can just say Yuyuko personally told me about it, she did technically told me just now.

But my mental energy already depleted from conversing with Yuyuko, I just want to go home and sleep, call me a bitch, call me a coward, I'll laugh when you die but I live instead.

…Shit, she noticed me and now she's descending toward me.

To be fair, I didn't even try to hide from her, …Let's try avoid battling with her.

I start flying upward toward her.

”Yo.” I greet her.

”…How come you can get in despite the barrier was still in the door?” said Reimu skeptically.

”The barrier only keep the door from being open, you can just fly over it to get to this side.”

”What?!”

”…Based on what happened, you broke it didn't you?”

”Of course! What do you expect me to do?! Waiting for the barrier to disappear while I freeze to death even thought I could easily destroy it instead?!” she angrily said.

”…If you put it like that, I guess it's okay, wait, no, this is not okay, do you even know what this place is?”

She looks around.

”I don't know, what is this place anyway?” she wondered.

'…Hm?' I thought. ”…It's the Netherworld.” I gave her the answer.

”Eh?” she look…dumbfounded.

'…Did she not know?'

”Eh?! You mean THAT Netherworld?!”

”…I don't know anything about 'THAT Netherworld', but when I asked the residence of this place, they said that this is the Netherworld. Why are you that surprised?”

'This is strange, did she not fought the Prismriver before opening the door? In the canon, when she won from them, they spill out that this is the Netherworld. If they didn't appear, then where did they go? '

”Netherworld isn't supposed to be barged in this easily, you know! Netherworld also isn't supposed to be accessible to the living being to begin with! ”

”Really??”

”Yes, which make this incident is more serious than I thought.” said Reimu with serious tone.

”…” I didn't add anything to her statement. '…Suddenly, I got a bad feeling right now.' I thought.

”Hey, Reimu!”

We both turn to the source of the voice.

At the other side of the door, there's a witch riding a broom.

”Oh, there's Arah too in there-ze.”

It's Marisa.

Something suddenly appeared beside Marisa, it's a maid.

”So the culprit behind that loud sound is the Miko, the Magician and the Pervert.”

”Woah!” Marisa surprised from the maid sudden appearance.

It's Sakuya.

-Others POV-​

”KEKEKEKEKE, SHE DID IT, THE MIKO DID IT! THE HEAVEN IS PUNISHED BY THE MIKO!!” laughed some Youkai.

”SERVE THEM RIGHT! HOW DARE THEM ENJOYING THE SPRING ON THEIR OWN!!”

”NOW THEY GOT DONE IN BY THE MIKO BECAUSE OF IT! WHAT A JOKE!!”

”””HAHAHAHAHAHA!!””” all Youkai are laughing loudly, thinking the heaven, the culprit that they thought are behind the missing spring, are currently being punished by the Miko.

Now onto another place.

”That sound, what do you think that is?” said Akyuu.

”Maybe that's the sound of the incident resolvers fighting with the culprit behind this incident?” Bara guesses.

”…” Akyuu's looking at the sky with worried expression.

”Are you worried about Master?” Bara asked with mischievous smile.

”W-what?! N-no, of course not!” Akyuu hurriedly denied it.

”Why don't you be honest with yourself more? It will be easier when it happen.” Bara smile turn into a pout. ”Although, I shouldn't say that to other people since I have my own problem too…”

”L-lets drop this subject, we can just asked Arah-san what happened when he come to pick you up.”

”Huhu, if you say so.”

And so the girls continue reading their book while the servants are worried that there might be thunder amid this blizzard.

-My POV-​

The two newcomers are grouping with Reimu, they all filling each other with what they know. They all huddling up without me, it's as if they knew I'm not on their side.

'…I can see the ending, and I don't like It.' said my pessimistic mind.

And finally.

”So, Arah, you are trying to end the incident too right?” asked Reimu.

”Yup.” I nod.

”Then come with us-ze. Seems like it will be a hard fight ahead, the more the merrier-ze.” said Marisa.

”…Well, about that.” I raised my finger.

Now all I have to do is refuse their invitation and told them the story behind this incident, but of course, like the canon want to stay in its rail, SHE comes.

”Arah-dono!”

The 5th stage boss of PCB, the servant of Saigyouji Yuyuko, the Half-Human Half-Phantom Swordswomen.

Konpaku Youmu has arrives.

She floated beside me with her sword drawn, this make the other girls on guard.

”…” I'm speechless with the timing of her arrival. '…Is this my Tiny Luck doing? I don't want to shit on the skill since it says the luck would benefit me, so let's think the other possible outcome from this. …2v3 instead of 1v3? …Yeah, let's play along. I don't want to break Youmu heart by turning my back from her, and also, Reimu's motto is ”fight first talk later”, so it's useless talking to Reimu now.' I thought.

”My method of resolving the incident is apparently different from yours, you stop the incident by beating up the culprit behind the incident, but I.” I direct my head to Youmu. ”picked the exact opposite.”

”…What do you mean?” asked Sakuya.

”I did say that I asked the residence of this place, isn't that right Reimu?”

”…Don't tell me.” looks like Reimu have an idea.

”The culprit, I already has a talk with the one behind this incident, and I decided that I'll end this incident by helping the culprit objective.”

Reimu frown deeper after my question.

”Arah-dono already met with Yuyuko-sama?” Youmu curious.

”Yup, I met her just now. She's a beautiful woman.” I gave my impression to her.

”I'm guessing you fall in love with this Yuyuko, thus you decided to betray us?” guessed Sakuya.

”Of course not, this is a serious matter after all, and don't call it 'betraying', but instead call it 'picking side'.”

”So that mean you're the enemy right?” Reimu asked for confirmation.

All the girls start preparing their weapon from her word.

Reimu with her Ofuda and Gohei.

Marisa with her Mini-Hakkero.

Sakuya with her knifes.

Youmu with her sword.

And me with my several concentrated light ball.

”Fight until unconscious?” I asked.

”You bet-daze.” answered Marisa.