The Lone Shrine Maiden's Wish

Chapter 8: The Wish

Author's Note: Hey

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Reimu couldn't tell if she was being serious with herself or not.

"A crush...? Why would I be into Yukari like that...? She's a Youkai! That makes us enemies...!" Excuses, again. Reimu caught herself trying to make up excuses for why she shouldn't have these thoughts, as opposed to why she is.

A sigh from the lone shrine maiden.

"...But we're not enemies. She's a...a good girl. A kind woman. As far as I know, anyway." Reimu held her head, burying her eyes against her palms.

"Hakurei...is this truly okay for me? Is it okay for me...to have such thoughts about a Youkai?" As priest of sorts but closer to just a woman who tends to the shrine, she feels as if she is betraying her own god by having loving thoughts about a creature that she has to regularly fight to defend him against.

"But...if it is one who protects the shrine with me...it should be fine?"

"...I'm even giving myself reasons to allow myself to like her. I'm doomed to this, aren't I?" An exhale of disappointment.

Reimu stood up and walked to the center of the shrine, getting down on her knees and putting her hands together in prayer. 

"Dear Hakurei, our lord and protector. In these troubling times, I find myself wavering in judgement. I request...I need your help. I don't know what to do. Am I allowed to...have a friend like this? Am I allowed to love...?" Reimu paused for a moment, contemplating her request.

"Dear Hakurei...please...I wish for someone to love." She finally decided to be honest with the one person she dedicated her life to. It took all of her courage to ask such a thing to the being she existed only to serve as far as she was concerned, but was confident that asking had no risk in it. A benevolent god would reward such commitment, right?

This was finally the Lone Shrine Maiden's Wish.

"I ask...please, Yukari or not, please give me someone to love. Someone to bring me happiness, someone I may bring happiness to. The lonely days at the shrine at beginning to wear away at me, and I find myself further and further in the darkness as the loneliness drags on and on. To maintain my health, I request you send me an angel. The nicest angel you have." 

With a closing few words of ritual prayer, she bows and gets up, sighing.

"I can't believe I finally cracked and asked him for that..." The shrine maiden felt...shame, in herself for being so weak as to ask her god for aid. It felt ridiculous to give a burden to her own lord, but her consciousness was becoming achy.

"I just hope I'm not punished for this..." Reimu stated, picking up the nearby broom. Duty calls, and its a way to stay distracted.

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On the opposite side of Gensokyo, at the same time as Reimu's prayer, Yukari laughs maniacally.

Danmaku was in effect, and multi-colored balls of bright light flying at high speeds were being exchanged between Yukari, and a certain fairy.

"YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT THE STRONGEST FAIRY IN ALL OF THE WORLD!" Screamed the ice fairy, six wings in the shape of floating ice shards on her back carrying her through the air. Her blue hair and blue and white bow flowing through the wind as she dashed around, bits of her blue and white dress being torn due to the Danmaku bullets.

Yukari smugly laughed.

"Oh please, you're the worst fairy I have ever had the pleasure of dueling! What is the reason? Your house was destroyed or something?" Several gaps appeared around the fairy, spouting Danmaku bullets all around her. She struggled to dodge, because she's an idiot.