This was meant to be finished a few months ago, and I'm really just releasing it now as a matter of course. Hopefully it's not too bad. Back to writing Heartbeat!

The first time they met, Yukari knew Reimu was going to be trouble.

"How do you do?" said the girl, extending her hand, and with it, burying Yukari under an invisible aura of power so strong she thought her knees might buckle. "I'm Reimu Hakurei."

Yukari had kept her cool, as she always did. She couldn't have this human realizing her mere presence was having such an effect on her. But whether Reimu realized it or not, Yukari had a problem, and it was one she knew she would have to fix herself. Youkai sage or not, Yukari's first priority was always making sure everything came up in her favor, and having a Hakurei shrine maiden this powerful go unchecked was not a risk she was willing to take.

That's all it was—just visits to keep an eye on the girl, learn what she could about her, to store that information away in case she ever needed to take action to neutralize that threat. Certainly, Yukari was in an excellent position for it, since it was already her responsibility to watch over those tasked with protecting the great barrier, and the other youkai sages deferred to her when it came to the line of Hakurei. So, when she visited Reimu, that's all it was.

o – o – o

"Here you go." Reimu set the tea tray on the table before Yukari and seated herself. "I've been meaning to make some for a while now. Help yourself."

Yukari accepted a cup, taking a long sip. She was surprised the girl had the drink ready; as usual, the youkai had dropped in unannounced. "How hospitable of you." She set the china cup down delicately as if underscoring the point. "You would hardly think this is the monster who's been terrorizing the land."

Reimu cocked her head, a questioning look on her face. "What's that?"

"Don't you know? You're making quite a name for yourself." Yukari paused to take another drink. "The inhabitants of this forest are especially terrified of you. They seem certain you might appear at any moment and kill them."

"The fairies like to tell scary stories," said Reimu dismissively. "They're the ones who attack me, and I'm always careful not to hurt them…too much." She smiled. "What about you, Yukari? Do they just not know you well enough to be frightened of you?"

"I think you hardly know me well enough to say that, shrine maiden," Yukari retorted.

"Maybe not." Reimu stood and walked to the edge of the porch, where a bright summer landscape greeted her. "Perhaps you should invite me to your house sometime. You live somewhere in those mountains, don't you?"

"Absolutely not," replied Yukari smoothly, refusing to betray any sign of the irritation she felt rise up. How did this girl know where she lived? She was careful to open a gap and approach the shrine from a different direction each time she visited. "I would never allow a human like yourself into my home."

Reimu laughed. "That's not very polite."

Yukari didn't so much as smile. "Don't forget, shrine maiden—I'm the one who watches you."

"That's right, isn't it?" Reimu walked back and joined her at the table again. "And how have I been doing?"

Yukari was loath to admit it, but there hadn't been an incident on the border in a long time. A few frightened fairies aside, there really wasn't much to reprimand Reimu for at all. Of course this too-powerful shrine maiden would be the one who doesn't make any mistakes. Aloud, she said, "If you weren't doing an adequate job, you'd know it. You would be so lucky not to have me pay you a visit should you fail."

The girl's eyebrows went up and down. "That sounded like a threat."

She was trying to provoke her, Yukari knew. "That's just reality," she said flatly. "You're only valuable as long as you perform your duties."

"Well, I'd better keep performing them, then." Reimu smiled. "I'd hate to have you mad at me."

As if that's all she'd taken away from Yukari's words. As if she didn't care that she would be removed from her duties as shrine maiden if she stepped out of line. Yukari had known she would be trouble. "Indeed."

"Anyway…" Reimu trailed off, regarding the tea tray. "I hope the tea was good. You're the first to try some."

"You mean you've never offered any to your other visitors? This shrine sees so much traffic you would think it's a tourist stop." Yukari looked over her shoulder, as if she might see some wandering visitor right then.

"Most of them drop in without warning at odd hours," said the shrine maiden with a shrug. "There's no time to prepare."

Yukari couldn't see how that was different from her own visits, but she didn't bother saying anything. Reimu went on. "The traffic has slowed down, actually. Even the fairies have started ignoring me." She smiled faintly. "I feel as though, until now, my reputation had led people to seek me out… but then I passed some threshold, and now I'm too strong, and everyone simply avoids me."

"Please," said Yukari. "You? A human? There are far stronger beings in Gensokyo than you."

"Really?" said Reimu, raising her eyebrows again. "Who?"

She couldn't dignify that with an answer. Yukari stood, deciding it was time this visit ended. "Just remember your place, shrine maiden," she said, and willed a gap to open in front of her, "and you'll never have to find out." She paused for a moment, then pulled the gap wide and slipped through.

Reimu sighed, lying back against the warm wood and letting the sound of the wind chimes fill the silence. That would be her one visitor for the day, she knew. And she hadn't even finished her tea.

o – o – o

"Yukari?" Ran peered down at her mistress, who was slumped against a table with her chin resting on her arms. "Are you brooding again?"

Yukari ignored the shikigami's teasing. "Ran, has anyone been coming near here lately? Anyone looking around, hiking in the mountains?"

"I don't think so," said Ran. "Why?"

"That Hakurei girl seems to know where I live," replied Yukari. "I don't know how she found out."

"Is that a problem?"

"I don't allow anyone I don't trust to learn where I live." Yukari rose, pacing around the sparsely furnished room. "Much less a human, and least of all that girl."

Ran didn't question her further. "Well, I think would have sensed it if someone that powerful was searching this place. Perhaps she simply guessed?"

"Or someone else told her." Yukari gazed out the window, as if she might see someone skulking around there.

"What are you planning?" asked Ran cautiously.

"Planning?" Yukari looked back, a look of surprise on her face that was just a little too perfect. "What makes you think I'm planning anything?"

"Never mind." The shikigami turned to leave. "I'll try to keep an eye out."

Yukari again faced the window as Ran slid the door shut behind her, her thoughts already back on Reimu Hakurei.

o – o – o

"Is there something I can help you with?"

It was an awkward position to be caught in. Yukari's torso was protruding from a gap that hovered in midair, her arms outstretched towards the side of the Hakurei shrine. Swiftly, she let them drop and adjusted herself to face Reimu, who was watching with an amused smile that made Yukari's neck prickle. "There's nothing for you to be concerned about. I'm checking the integrity of the barrier, and don't think I need to announce my presence to you."

"Isn't that my job?" Reimu's hair swayed in the light breeze as she cocked her head. "As you keep reminding me."

"A second opinion never hurts," said Yukari, folding her arms. "I make sure of things of myself. Now, just what are you standing around for?"

"Would you like to come inside and have some tea?" asked Reimu as if by way of reply. "I have it ready."

Again? It wasn't simple politeness, that was obvious. This human girl was treating her as an equal, going out of her way to do so. "Pleasantries are fine if I'm visiting you," said Yukari, her voice dripping with irony, "which I'm not."

Reimu's smile didn't falter at the patronizing tone. "Are you sure? I was interested in continuing our conversation from last time."

"I'm quite sure."

"All right." Reimu heaved a dramatic sigh. "You can't blame me for coming out to see who was here. I am meant to protect this place, after all."

How did she know I was here? Yukari didn't let her perturbed thoughts show on her face. "Your diligence is noted."

A pause hung between them, filled only by the wind in the chimes and the chirping of birds. Suddenly smiling again, Reimu seemed to be about to say something, but she was interrupted by a shout from the distance.

"Reimu!" Someone was calling around the side of the shrine. "Reimu, you here?"

"Here," Reimu called back. Moments later, a blonde girl dressed in white and black with a pointed witch's hat appeared around the corner, raising her hand in greeting but coming to a screeching halt when she saw Yukari. "What's she doing here?"

Yukari gazed haughtily down at Marisa. "Suddenly it seems much noisier here."

"Yeah? Then why don't you just leave?" Marisa stared back defiantly, crossing her arms before her chest. "I'm sure you have some scheme to attend to somewhere else."

"Marisa, just—" Reimu began, but Yukari cut her off. "I was just about to take my leave," she said smoothly. "Enjoy your company, Reimu."

And with that, she sank into the gap. In the instant before she disappeared, she heard Marisa saying furiously, "You caught her snooping around and—" and Reimu beginning to object, but before she could make out the shrine maiden's words, she was swallowed by the nothingness.

o – o – o

It was pitch-dark inside the Hakurei shrine save for the shafts of moonlight that made illuminated columns on the floor. Outside, that same moonlight covered a landscape entirely still but for the rippling water, a landscape completely peaceful and whole.

Suddenly, a tear stretched itself through empty space, a hole widening there that was somehow darker than the darkness that surrounded it. For just a moment a pair of eyes flashed within it—or was the whole space filled with eyes?—before vanishing, taking the gap with them.

Inside the shrine, space was again rent by the lightless black, and out stepped Yukari. The youkai's footfalls made almost no sound on the wooden floor as she crept down the hall, coming to a stop once she felt she was far enough.

She had come to back to continue what she was doing when Reimu had surprised her, now that she could be sure there would be no interruptions. Again, she held out her arms and let her eyelids shut, allowing her mind's eye to gaze out and take in all it saw there beyond. Mentally she examined the great barrier through and through, until at last she could confirmed what she had already suspected: there was not the slightest disturbance in the border. It was intact, stable, and strong.

This Hakurei girl was simply too good at her job. Yukari scowled. There wasn't a single thing she could be blamed for, nothing Yukari could use to check her. And leaving such a powerful force unchecked in Gensokyo would not do at all.

She took a few more aimless steps down the hallway, passing an open door. She glanced into it and was startled to see Reimu there, sleeping soundly on a simple mat laid upon the floor.

For a moment the shrine maiden's sleeping face transfixed Yukari, until at last she tore her eyes away. She didn't want to look at the girl. And yet…

She made to leave, but couldn't stop her gaze from drifting back to Reimu one more time.

o – o – o

Ran had a worried look on her face again. "Yukari…?"

"What?" she snapped, looking up. "What is it?"

The woman jumped a little, taken aback. "I just wanted to know if you might be back for supper tonight."

"I don't know." Yukari returned to staring at the bare table she was resting on, and Ran slowly turned and left the room.

Several weeks had passed and Yukari's visits were proving still more fruitless. She hoped to catch the shrine maiden doing something, anything questionable, but she never did. As summer drifted to a close, Yukari sat through a dozen conversations over tea, suffered repeated interruptions by a certain indignant witch, and watched the shrine maiden from afar for hours, and at the end of it all she came away stymied. And always there was Reimu, maddeningly calm, utterly courteous and almost condescending at the same time in her good-natured, chiding way. Yukari knew she had to tread lightly—the laws binding Gensokyo essentially gave license for the Hakurei maiden to take down any youkai she desired, and she couldn't have Reimu thinking of her as an enemy…not yet, anyway.

One thing she did notice as she watched the shrine was that the flow of visitors had indeed dried up—travelers paying their respects, friends dropping in, even those tumbling through the barrier, they all seemed to avoid the place. Reimu had been right. She was still visited by Marisa and a few others, but compared to the months before, the shrine was devoid of activity. Reimu herself didn't leave the lonely shrine much, either, spending her time sweeping, cleaning, praying, sleeping.

Yukari found herself hanging on every word the girl said when they had tea. It was honestly impressive how much the girl knew about the goings on in Gensokyo at large considering how much she stayed at the shrine nowadays, and there weren't many things even Yukari, who prided herself on her sources of information throughout the land, was aware of that Reimu wasn't. Yukari herself rarely went home now, sleeping less than usual. She tried to analyze everything, but Reimu was giving her nothing but infuriatingly genuine smiles and odd looks.

There was a nagging worry in the back of Yukari's mind that the girl might be aware she was being watched. But if Reimu knew, she didn't let on when Yukari did occasionally stop in. Her conversational attitude and gentle needling didn't change, and she was as hospitable as ever, right down to the tea she offered Yukari every time.

"Come in and have some," she said, gesturing with the hand she used to cover her eyes against the bright, rising sun. "C'mon."

Yet again, Yukari was astounded. How did the girl always have tea freshly prepared? Did she just make pots of it day in and day out to offer to anyone who should happen by? Yukari herself hadn't visited in several days. She was so amazed she couldn't even refuse the invitation.

Reimu smiled and led her inside, out of the slowly warming morning air, and once again poured tea for the both of them.

They sipped the hot drink in silence. Not even the wind had any noise to make. The light spilling from the window grew steadily more colorless.

Yukari was at a bit of a loss. Every other time she'd spoken to the shrine maiden—or the girl had caught her sneaking around—it seemed like Reimu had something she wanted to talk about. But this time, there was nothing.

Finally, Yukari cleared her throat and said, "You've been staying in a lot." It sounded lame.

"Oh. Yeah." Reimu didn't look very interested. "There haven't been any disasters, and I didn't feel like going out looking for trouble."

"You?" Yukari scoffed. It was easier when Reimu was already talking. "What do you do besides pick fights?"

Reimu shrugged. "Haven't been in one lately." She turned those dark brown eyes on the youkai. "What about you, Yukari? What have you been up to?"

"That's none of your business," said Yukari without missing a beat. She certainly couldn't tell Reimu how much time she'd spent watching her recently.

"I'm making it my business," said Reimu. "What have you been doing? Have you fought anyone lately?"

The youkai folded her arms. "Why should I tell you?"

"Well… we have to talk about something." Reimu shrugged. "Don't we? Or do you really just come here to spy on me and drink tea?"

Yukari bristled. "Are you suggesting my visits have anything to do with you, yourself? I'm only here to make sure the barrier is secure and you're doing your job."

"And tell me," said Reimu, taking a sip of tea, in utter disregard of the dangerous edge Yukari's voice had gained, "is it usual for you to check on the barrier every couple of days?"

"What does that mean?" Yukari said shortly. "I don't come here nearly that often."

Reimu laughed. "You don't even realize it. Once every three days in the afternoon, just about, until you think you've come too many times, and then you wait a few days and come the next morning—more or less. For months, now. How do you think I always have tea ready?"

Yukari couldn't stand it. The girl was looking at her with an amused smile, looking at her like she'd figured Yukari out. "What's your point? You know where I live, too; so what? Are you threatening me?"

"I didn't say that," said Reimu, only there was too much emphasis on the word say.

"What, then?" spat Yukari. "Why do you care how often I come here? Are you just pestering me because you don't get any other visitors besides that rat on a broomstick?"

Reimu nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's it." Again she fixed her eyes on Yukari's. "But then, you'd know how that feels, wouldn't you?"

"What?" Yukari stared. "I… don't—"

Reimu interrupted her. "When was the last time someone came to see 'the youkai mastermind' for a chat? You're as alone as I am—there's no one in Gensokyo anymore who isn't your enemy."

"That isn't true." Yukari fumbled. "I have Ran and Chen."

"For how much longer?" Reimu wasn't looking away. She wasn't smiling now. "All the time you've been spending watching me, plotting, planning, trying to control me? Yes. You really think I wouldn't notice? But how much time have you even spent at home? All this time you've wasted, and even then…" Her eyes narrowed. "You still wouldn't have a chance of beating me."

Yukari stood, rocking the table between them; the teapot flew off as she rose and shattered on the floor. "I've had enough. You don't have the right to talk to me like this."

Reimu jumped to her feet as well. "And why is that—because I'm a human? Or just because you're scared of me?"

"You're nothing!" Yukari shouted. "I've seen your ancestors live and die in this shrine. You're the one who should be scared of me!"

"What's the matter?" The shrine maiden circled her by a few steps, and Yukari backed away so they both neared the door. "Can't admit just how obsessed with me you are?"

"And what about you? Took every opportunity to invite me in, didn't you? And you took the time to search out my home?" Yukari hissed. "Just how lonely are you?"

"You're so full of yourself!" Reimu was yelling now, too. "As if I was the one—"

Yukari pushed her way through the door, pushing back as Reimu tried to force past her. "You won't admit—"

"Just admit it—" Reimu struggled against her.

Bursting out into the sunlight, they shouted it together, "Admit you need me!"

There was a split second of stillness. Then, acting in unison once again, they both leapt into the air, the incantations to declare their spell cards already on their lips.

"I'll prove I'm more than your equal!" Reimu shouted. "Let's danmaku!"

Yukari didn't waste an instant, immediately summoning a hail of bullets that sought Reimu with blinding speed, reduced to streaks of light in the air as they flew. Reimu let loose a wave of energy that detonated the bullets before they converged on her, but by the time the flash of the explosion was gone, Yukari was no longer in front of her. She appeared behind the shrine maiden and released another stream of energy; without even looking, Reimu dodged it, before whirling around and firing back, forcing Yukari to retreat inside the gap.

They raced across the sky, Yukari disappearing and reappearing through her seams, Reimu's incredible speed sometimes causing her to blur out visibility, all the while sustaining a constant barrage of attacks against each other. Yukari had experience and knowledge of Reimu's fighting style on her side, yet try as she might, her skill was not enough to overcome the girl's monstrous raw strength. No matter the sly tricks she used, the youkai could not find a gap in Reimu's defenses, and as the fight dragged on she began to slow. Now she resorted to summoning barriers to reflect Reimu's bullets.

Reimu was tiring, too. It wasn't long before both combatants started to gradually fly lower and lower, until at last their feet were skimming the grass. The shrine maiden let out one more bombardment and then finally touched down, and as Yukari raised another barrier between them to block the shots, she began to sprint forward. Yukari lowered the barrier just in time to see Reimu's sandal-clad foot come sailing at her face; left with a split second, she raised her arm and parried the blow. She tried to summon the barrier again, meaning to push Reimu away, but she found herself completely spent, unable to use her magic.

Reimu's next strike caught her in the jaw, but there was no force behind the punch. A moment later, the shrine maiden collapsed. She caught Yukari's collar as she fell, and Yukari's legs gave out as well, sending them both tumbling to the earth.

Breathing heavily, Reimu pushed herself up on her arms, holding herself over Yukari. She didn't say anything, and nothing occurred to Yukari to say, either.

Suddenly, Reimu collapsed forward, and for an instant Yukari thought she had fainted, but then she realized the shine maiden's lips were pressed against her own. Before Yukari knew what she was doing, she was kissing Reimu back fiercely, rolling over so she lay onto of the other girl, pinning her. Reimu didn't let that slow her down, her fingers swiftly running up the hem of Yukari's dress and undoing it.

Yukari couldn't control herself. She wanted to devour Reimu. While Reimu's fingers merely teased, her own hands sought to relieve Reimu of her clothes as fast as possible, pulling her dress down past her shoulders, tugging, opening. She had bare skin at her touch when Reimu abruptly grabbed her wrist.

The shrine maiden's face burned. "Wait, we'll… we'll get dirty."

Yukari straightened up, and Reimu pulled her already earth-stained dress back in place before getting to her feet. The youkai awkwardly stood as well, and for a second, they just remained there in silence. Then:

"What are you doing?" Reimu smacked Yukari on the shoulder blades with both hands, shoving her towards the shrine. "Move!" Yukari stumbled half the way there, Reimu following her, until they reached the door. Yukari turned back, opening her mouth and beginning, "Rei—"

Reimu all but tackled her, colliding with her and bringing an arm behind Yukari's back to lower her to the floor all in one motion. She shrugged out of her dress before Yukari could even do anything, and resumed attacking the youkai's garments. Yukari finally gave in, surrendered to the shrine maiden, and let herself fall headlong into Reimu.

o – o – o

The sun was at its highest point in the summer's end sky as Yukari walked towards the Hakurei shrine, traversing a well-worn trail she was very familiar with now. As she drew near, she could see Reimu just outside the door, sweeping the porch. The shrine maiden waved as she approached.

They went inside together, and Yukari joined Reimu at a table where a fresh pot of tea was already waiting. But the moment Reimu sat down, she got back up again.

"Oh, hold on," she said, moving into the other room and rummaging around for something.

"What is it?" Yukari called after her.

Reimu reappeared with a larger tea tray holding two pots and several cups. "Just making sure there's enough for everybody."

Before she could ask what Reimu meant, Yukari heard the faint sounds of laughter and voices floating through the door. Turning, she saw Marisa approaching the shrine, but this time, the witch wasn't alone. A pair of fairies with green and blue hair, a small figure under a parasol, and a young woman with a doll hovering about her all followed.

Reimu smiled at her. "Things have certainly livened up around here."

"It can't be helped," Yukari sighed. "As long as I can have you to myself some of the time."

The shrine maiden gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'm sure there'll be plenty of time." And they turned to greet or bicker with their guests as appropriate, and the sun shone down over the no longer lonely Hakurei shrine.