The Lost Word of Lyra Hanahaki

0.2: Teatime As Usual? Pt. 2

[Lyra's Pov]

Reimu paces back and forth across the shrine grounds, testing various methods of... whatever she's trying to do. She drew symbols on the ground with powdered chalk, spinned around spiritual poles in the earth she placed, even did a dance that appeared as if it would captivate any onlookers, any method she thought would work.

It finally reached the point she waved a gohei at my... rather small chest, and charge some strange energy into it. Whatever she did, it caused my vision to turn white before it returned, albeit a little blurry.

"It's no use." Reimu sighs, seemingly have given up on the task she did without me knowing. Though, guessing with how the last one played out, it had to deal with me, that, or she wanted to emphasize the difference in chest sizes. I've heard that some people like to do that as a way to assert dominace, but that definitely didn't seem like it applied in this situation.

My gaze turns away from Reimu for a split moment, right as I notice Marisa appear from inside the shrine, her hidden pockets a bit more noticeable with weight. "What are you doing?" She questions Reimu about her weird methods of... whatever she's trying to do.

"Just testing a few things." She replies, stating the obvious. "I'm trying to figure out how to send an outsider back to the outside..." Reimu lets out a slightly nervous laugh. Something tells me that she had no clue how to do that, although it probably within her capabilities. But, it shocked me since she was trying to send me to the outside without trying to learn whether I did come from outside or not, even though she was probably right.

"What?!" Marisa exclaims loudly. "But it says right in Akyuu's book that outsiders can return if they reach Hakurei Shrine! Send her back already!" If that were the case, then either Reimu had never needed to learn how to, or any other outsider had left without assistance from the Hakurei Shrine Maiden. If anything, probably the normal way out would've been for outsiders to step through the torii gate to leave, though that might've not been the case since I walked through and nothing happened.

Reimu turns to Marisa in frustration and probably embarrassment. "I know what Akyuu's book says!" That statement, although doesn't have enough context by itself for a lot of people, still explains enough for some.

"Oh, I see." Marisa starts, deciding to tease the shrine maiden. "You've read about it, but don't actually know how to do it. Losing your touch as a shrine maiden?"

"I'm not happy about this either, OK? Outsiders always just kinda go back on their own..." Reimu clearly seems exasperated with Marisa's behavior. "It's just... This girl just feels different somehow. Like there's something holding her back..." Whether instinctively, or just a chill, I feel a shiver trail along my spine.

"You're not making any sense. You don't even do your regular shrine maiden duties properly, so how would you know?" Marisa decidedly lectures the maiden playfully, but I couldn't help but feel guilty about how much trouble I was causing just by being here.

With those images I saw earlier, what could have been brief memories, with the crystals and what-not, I couldn't help but feel responsible for everything that's happening. "Sorry for all the trouble!" I say without thinking, which probably meant the guilt was getting to be on the heavy side.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. And Marisa, don't speak for me." Reimu apologizes to me, whilst also scolding Marisa, who just chuckles it off like it's nothing.

Before I could ponder why Reimu was apologizing to me when I'm possibly at fault, what sounds like reality being gently ripped apart comes from the right. What could only be described as a tear in reality formed in the sky, being held together by two red ribbons to keep it from tearing further. From that tear appeared a tall woman, carrying a parasol. She wore a long, dark purple dress with a square cut at the neck, openly showing the top of her cleavage. Her blonde hair went all along her back, split in different sections and being tied by red ribbons near the ends.