"As long as you don't burn my mansion down," Remilia Scarlet turned, her chief maid of the mansion Izayoi Sakuya following, parasol still held above her mistress.

"Thank you, Lady Remilia!" Hong Meiling, the gatekeeper of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, bowed. "It really means a lot to me!" Looking up to the sky, she saw that it was still noon; dusk was barely approaching, which signified at least seven hours more before her day shift was over.

Meiling had requested directly to Remilia for permission to burn incense papers during her break time at night, where she would be observing her distant Chinese custom of the Hungry Ghost Festival. It is a festival where the spirits of Hell journey back down once again to the world they had departed from, almost like a vacation of sorts. These spirits are said to be 'hungry', literally, and are out and about looking for food.

An observer of the festival would usually purchase incense paper, generally known as "Hell Money" and burn them as an offering to these ghosts. The offerings can be simply given to any wandering spirits or, if the observer so wishes, speak the name of a late loved one during the burning to dedicate the offerings to.

Food and red candles are essential components of the offering. The spirits are lured by the smoke emitted by the long red candles and the scent of food. Typical food usually included the mandarin oranges, a puff cake of sorts, pink-white buns (also known as Longevity Buns in Chinese) and various dried snacks. Vegetarian origins are a must, as one never knows what spirits, be it animal or human, fleet about during the seventh month.

As for Hong Meiling, not having any relatives in Gensokyo, or even knowing any Chinese dwellers, did not stop her from sticking with her customary practices annually. She may be a youkai, but that made no difference to her, as she found it meaningful to appease any spirits that may be lurking around, keeping both herself and the occupants of the mansion safe from retribution of any sorts, mostly because of her mistress' notorious background.

While none of the other occupants of said mansion bothered, Meiling kept up with the annual offerings on the mansion grounds alone. A few of the fairy maids of the mansion would sometimes happen by and wonder what she was doing. They would either get to assist in the incense burning or return to work under the threat of a silver knife by the maid with hair of a similar color.

Just exactly a year ago, a notorious witch, both welcome and unwelcomed by different occupants of the mansion, infiltrated the mansion grounds during the incense burning and got away with her fill of book borrowing from the basement library, the Voile. The Great Unmoving Library, Patchouli Knowledge, although already helpless with the constant thieving, was displeased at the lapse of security, which almost made Remilia ban Meiling from her annual activity. Only the discovery of a certain sensitive book which laid, unknown to Meiling that night, among the ashes of the incense burning, granted the gatekeeper her redemption.

Apparently Kirisame Marisa, the said thief and witch, had dropped one of her looted books during a seemingly successful book heist into the large bonfire near the gate, where Meiling had been burning, and during the investigation that followed, Meiling caught side of the remains of the book's cover, which was almost fully burnt, leaving the title only half-legible, which had read 'Confessions to Mar-'. When approached, Patchouli seemed to blush, but rebuked the gatekeeper and warned her not to cause a repeat of the incident before storming back into the mansion in a hurry.

Grimacing at the memory of the incident, Meiling stood resolved to prevent a relapse. Making arrangements with the clueless fairy maids that were tending to the massive garden, the youkai gatekeeper was sure her plans would be flawlessly executed and her privilege of incense burning preserved.

Late into the hot summer day, the sun had finally set, and Meiling was, for once, fully focused on her duty. A certain ice fairy had attempted to sneak into the mansion "for a respite from the hot weather", but had been successfully 'repelled' with a clean boot to the face, sending the fairy disappearing into the sky like a bullet. Marisa had not shown up that day, and she was disappointed that she could not catch the thieving witch during her most alert day of the year.

As the almost-atlas clock on a chimney struck the seventh hour, Hong Meiling immediately darted away from her post for the garden's shed, where she had stashed her offerings, purchased almost a month ago during an off day. While she was pretty sure nobody else in Gensokyo had the slightest idea of the festival, she was surprised to find incense paper available for sale in the Human Village.

Gathering some of the firewood pilfered from the fireplace in the mansion in a corner of the garden, she worked with some tools and within two minutes, a spark emerged and set the logs on fire. Undoing the strings that bound the incense papers into perfect piles, she deftly spread one pile with one hand, her other hand's palm fully opened to hold the pile, and it blossomed into a perfect circle with each paper equally spaced apart from each other in a stack.

Plucking out a few pieces of the papers, Meiling gently fed them to the waiting fire and watched as it slowly consumed the incense papers, leaving only ashes at the base of the fire. As she carried on with the burning, thick smoke began rising into the sky, but not enough to cause a worry of a massive fire. When done with the first pile, she repeated her actions with the remaining piles of incense papers, ending it with clapping her hands together in prayer with her eyes closed.

After three nods of her head in prayer, she picked up some red candles, fed the wicks into the still-burning fire and set them standing somewhere near the pile of ashes, then placed her food offerings beside them on some old red plates, which had been requested by herself to Sakuya when the maid had wanted to dispose them some years ago.

With at least half an hour to go on her night break hour, she took her seat before the fire cross legged and watched the flames slowly ebb out. What a good night this year, Meiling thought to herself. Luckily Marisa hasn't chosen today to raid the library.

Almost instantly, she became aware of something approaching the perimeter of the mansion's fences. And here I thought it was too good to be true. Meiling sharpened her sight and hearing and looked into the direction where she sensed the approaching thing. Or person.

After almost a minute of staring, she decided that whatever that was there probably had not intended to sneak into the mansion grounds and had already left the area. Sighing in relief at not having to ruin the night, Meiling noticed that her break time was almost over. I really want to watch this fire extinguish on its own, but if Sakuya finds me here after eight…

Never mind, at least I got to do what I wanted to. No use having that taken away from me for the rest of my life just because of me wanting a chance to watch that fire die out.

Her break time over, she gave the order to the fairy maids, who had been all over the roof keeping an eye out for intruders, especially those that would enter through flight on brooms, to stand down and resume their work in the mansion. Her mood still high in morale, she slipped back to her post enthusiastically and resumed her duties.

From her standing point, when she turned around, she could still see the fire burning, although its strength had decreased every time she turned around to look. Somehow, this time, the fire seemed o have lasted for more than an hour beyond her break time, and by then Meiling felt her eyelids closing on their own.

Suddenly, she became aware of somebody walking past her, even during her sleep-nodding. Fully awake by the change of energies around her, her eyes flew open and her senses peaked again, ready to engage any intruders. Or to be lectured by that old maid for sleeping on the job again.

However, looking through the gates into the mansion grounds, she saw only a small glow in the corner of the garden, signifying a dying fire. Both Sakuya and the supposed intruder were nowhere to be seen. I must be imagining that.

Or did a ghost suddenly walk past me?

It's the Hungry Ghost Festival, yes, but…

Ghosts are common in Gensokyo, they don't need a special festival for them to roam around. If a ghost was attracted by the offerings, I should simply allow it pass, but I gotta make sure it leaves once its done. Looking again at the fire, there was, indeed, something near the corner, seemingly interested in where Meiling had placed the food. Smiling at herself for a good deed done for the spirits of the dead, the gatekeeper turned her attention back to the front.

To keep herself distracted and not fall asleep from lack of activities, Meiling would usually daydream about the stories she had heard from others. On the times where Sakuya hadn't threatened to stab her with a knife for sleeping on the job, she filled the youkai on the latest ongoings in Gensokyo, including an incident where she herself had left the mansion to resolve.

Meiling, being one who never saw much beyond the fences of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, was immediately enthralled whenever such stories were told to her. A story about Sakuya's personal adventure out of the mansion came into mind and she began replaying the story in her mind, visually imagining how each battle had taken place.

It had been a never ending winter when Sakuya left the mansion to find out the perpetrator. She had encountered many opponents during the incident and beat them in the resulting danmaku duels. The stubborn ice fairy had been the first victim of her knives, followed by a rare encounter with the winter spirit Letty Whiterock.

Sakuya mentioned about wandering to a distant village known as Mayohiga, where she met a nekomata who happened to be in the village at the wrong time. That same nekomata, according to the descriptions given by Sakuya herself, had once wandered into the Scarlet Devil Mansion and, in the resulting chase within the halls by the head maid herself, broke many furnitures and one of Remilia's most loved vase.

Laughing weakly at the mess Chen, the very nekomata Sakuya met in Mayohiga, had caused after she managed to escape with a few knives sticking on her back, Meiling's thoughts went back to her musings of the incident, where the dollmaker Alice Margatroid was almost accused as the mastermind of the never-ending winters.

Somehow, during the story, Meiling's brain had switched off and she had only caught back onto the story when she mentioned about the Netherworld, where ghosts supposedly resided. There had been a mention about a phantom gardener and her ditzy mistress, known as one Saigyouji Yuyuko, and, thanks to a seemingly-innocent connection to the Hungry Ghost Festival, Meiling had her interest in the story relit.

After the story had finished replaying in her mind, which had almost took half an hour, she remembered about the ghost and turned back: it was still there.

Sorry, brother, or sister for that matter, Meiling thought to herself as she reentered the mansion grounds, heading straight for the corner where she had been burning incense. Time's up, you gotta go before my mistress sees you. You should be done with the food by now, I didn't place much-

Hong Meiling froze midstride as she finally recognized the ghost who had been near the fire. The ghost seemed to notice somebody standing behind it and turned around, remaining bits of the puff cake Meiling had placed on the ground dotting the face.

Oh dear… Meiling shut her eyes. This ghost even has a full body. Of all ghosts, why did it have to be… "Yuyuko." She opened her eyes after mentioning the name.

"Hmm?" Saigyouji Yuyuko gave the gatekeeper an innocent look.

"How…" Meiling was at a loss for words, her arms flapping exasperatingly. "HOW IS IT THAT YOU FOUND YOUR WAY HERE?"

"Hmm?" Yuyuko squeaked in reply. "I smelt food."

"I know you did! But… WHY HERE OF ALL PLACES?"

"Because it is the only place that has food!"

"Oh, no, this is NOT happening. This is not happening, this is not happening… AHHHHH!" the last came when Meiling, who had covered her eyes and willed whatever that was happening to be a dream while sleeping on the job, felt hands on both shoulders and was shook violently.

"Meiling?" Yuyuko's voice was muffled due to food still in her mouth. "Are you all right?"

"OH YES I AM! I AM FEELING SO WIDE AWAKE NOW THAT SAKUYA HAS NO REASONS TO ACCUSE ME ON SLEEPING ON THE JOB."

"Hmm?"

"Just… just get out, would you?"

"But…" Yuyuko pointed at the offerings. "Those incense paper burnings and food, wasn't it meant for ghosts?"

"Yes… yes they are."

"I'm a ghost, too, so it is also meant for me!" Yuyuko exclaimed happily, shoving another of the offered food into her mouth and chewed blissfully. "This is sooooooo good! I should have Youmu learn to make these!"

"That's… that's just a plain bun. It's nothing special… WAIT, WHY AM I EVEN TELLING YOU THIS?"

Yuyuko finished chewing on the bun as Meiling finished her sentence and swallowed. "See? You care for me, too! Youmu cares for me, but lately she's been starving me to death. Pardon the dead joke, it's a ghost thing."

"No, I don't care," Meiling smacked a palm to her forehead. "Have you ever heard of the Hungry Ghost Festival?"

Somehow possible, Yuyuko's face lit up at the mention of the festival. "Wait, you are saying Gensokyo actually has a festival for me?"

"You just realize that means you are, indeed, a hungry ghost?"

"I'm a ghost, and I'm hungry. Doesn't that make me a 'hungry ghost'? A festival for that should apply to me, too!"

Aware that nobody in the mansion seemed to have noticed the two of them at the corner of the garden, Meiling forced herself to explain the concept of the festival, all the while keeping an eye out for Sakuya while being distracted by a really hungry ghost's efforts to stuff her mouth with all the food Meiling had laid out. By the time she was done, Yuyuko had almost finished whatever that was left.

"Interesting! I never knew somebody would host a festival for us ghosts!" Yuyuko beamed at the youkai gatekeeper.

"But I wasn't expecting… you."

"Here's the thing, ghosts of the Netherworld, and probably elsewhere roaming Gensokyo, aren't confined anywhere," Yuyuko said, something Meiling found to be true and, for once, not nonsensical in any way, as far as the ghostly mistress of the Netherworld was concerned. "True, there is a border separating us from Gensokyo, but your friend inside that mansion… whatever her name is, broke it the other time. I don't think Yukari has fixed it yet."

"And so you are saying ghosts like you are still free to roam down to Gensokyo?"

"Think about it, you said that you had been doing this for the many years you have worked here. Has the food ever been eaten?"

Good point, I always had to clear it up the next day, but… "No… you are right; none of it had ever been eaten."

"And in Gensokyo, incense burning usually gets the Netherworld's attention. I am fully aware of this happening every year, but never really bothered to come down because Youmu would, incidentally, cook up delicious food for me!" the ghost princess tossed the last of a dried apricot into her mouth and swallowed it immediately. "This year, however, I have no other choice. Your incense burning caught my attention and there happens to be food around, so why would I not be here?"

That makes sense, too. A 'Hungry Ghost' festival for Yuyuko, huh. This sounds really wrong, though. "I can't have you around here," Meiling said finally. "Remilia will-"

"Fine, I will leave once I'm done with the food, and it seems that I'm done already." The ghost princess swept past the gatekeeper, wiping her mouth with an embroidered handkerchief. "And thanks for the food, I really liked it!"

Somehow, Meiling found whatever she was feeling to be odd: she was always lonely in her belief, and right now, somebody else was acting it out in flesh, although 'flesh' would had been wrong. I found it… I found somebody else who would appreciate my deeds to the dead. There is now more meaning to what I do yearly...

A festival that is no longer only celebrated by me.

My good deeds are finally being recognized by the spirits that I do a charity for.

A good cause…

"Yuyuko!" Meiling called out to the departing ghost, who turned around.

"Yes? You have more food stashed away somewhere?"

"No, but…"

"Hmm?"

"Can you come every year?"

Yuyuko turned around in full with a smile. "Sure."

Hong Meiling escorted her welcomed intruder to the gates, where she waved the ghost princess off as she took off to the skies, probably returning back to the Netherworld. Silence reigned around her again as she resumed her duties proper. Saigyouji Yuyuko, I await your return next year on this date.

If there is one hungry ghost around, that will be you.

Hungry Ghost Festival… for Yuyuko...

…

…

…

… thank you…

A.N.: This story was meant to be Hong Meiling's chapter for my on-going fic "Letters to Reimu", but the idea was scrapped at the last minute. Also, I wrote this as a mental diversion from whatever I'm working on for LTR.

My take on the Hungry Ghost Festival is based on what I understand, so if there's any inaccurate information about the custom, do not hesitate to point them out.