The Disillusioned Land

Chapter 24 - The Meddlesome Magician

As soon as I enter the room the two women shift their attention towards me.

"You! Where did you find that rabbit?" Kasen asks me before I have a chance to compose myself.

"Didn't Reimu tell you already? She was locked in a crate. That's all I know, I swear"

"Moon rabbits don't just show up in crates on their own, and through all the shrine's barriers..."

"Give it up, I don't think he's lying. Nothing we can do about it but move forward," Reimu interrupts before Kasen can continue "If what she said is true we have too much on our hands to be suspecting each other."

"For her to even get in here indicates a serious security risk, you can't just expect me to accept this."

"I checked the barriers, everything is working as it always has. You're free to check them yourselves if that makes you feel better, though I suspect you won't find anything either."

"Ugh, fine." Kasen storms off and disappears through the shrine doors.

"Hey Reimu, how's it going!" Marisa steps forward from behind me.

"You weren't even listening were you..."

"Well I was, but it sounded complicated so I didn't really bother much."

"It doesn't really matter, I have to wait for Kasen to get back so we can decide what we're going to do now. I'll tell you what you need to know then."

"Alright, I'm not in much of a hurry so I guess I'll just hang around for a while then," Marisa turns to face me, "You want to come with me? I assume you have nothing better to do anyway."

"If Reimu doesn't need me for anything else," I briefly look over to her, "Then sure, why not."

As soon as we leave the main shrine building Marisa seems to take on a much more serious demeanor.

"Alright show me where you left that moon rabbit of yours?"

"Don't say it like that, it makes it sound like I'm somehow complicit. She should be in one of the guest rooms with Kyoko."

As we arrive in the guest room we see Kyoko looking around the room somewhat frantically. A quick glance around the room reveals what she's worried about, the rabbit is nowhere to be seen.

"So where's the rabbit?" Marisa asks despite likely knowing the answer already.

"She was just here and... she just disappeared." Kyoko answers, still out of breath.

"Not the strangest thing that happened today I suppose. Well whatever, could you describe her to me?"

"Right, she was about as tall as me, she had brown eyes and hair, her hair was long but only barely and she was wearing something akin to a black school uniform."

"Brown hair huh, doesn't sound like any moon rabbit I know. Such an ordinary colour, it almost seems out of place for one of them," Marisa turns around to face me once again, "Don't suppose you have anything to add?"

"That just about covered it. I'd mention that she was locked in a crate and claimed to have amnesia, but you probably know that already."

"Yeah I think that's about all we can find out on our own, nothing left but to wait for Reimu. You hungry perchance?"

"It's almost night..." I'm somewhat curious as to what she could even get at this hour, don't tell me she's going to start cooking, "But sure i could eat something."

"Alright let's go raid Reimu's pantry then!"

Of course...

Marisa rifles through the cupboard masterfully, it would be quite impressive if she was showing this level of dexterity in any other task, but she's looking for food in someone else's things. She quickly procures two cups of instant ramen and cooks them within seconds on top of some weird portable stove type device. One of the cups is set in front of me as Marisa sits down on the other side of the table.