Touhou - Impure Dreams about a Strange Land

A Midnight visit from a Dragon

And that's how my second month in Gensokyo went by.

For the most part, I've been at Patchouli's side, helping her with her research. While nothing reached the same level of unpleasantness as the first concoction she made for me, the following trials were equally as disturbing. It went from losing my sense of taste temporarily, to having my fingers so numb that I thought I was about to lose my hand, to being poisoned briefly. But it wasn't so bad. She wasn't reckless about it, and she always had medicine at hand to help me out.

Although, I have to admit, some of those tests were my fault. I insisted, even going against her advice. Why? Well, seeing that mini... hakkero? Light up and change from a flicker to a constant glow, glowing brighter and brighter with each test, made me feel excited.

Patchouli also grew in me. She finally started calling me 'Nobu', and she's surprisingly fun when she wants to be, but lately I've noticed a slight melancholy in her. Sometimes she asks to hold my hand. I wonder if she's thinking about Alice... And that makes me curious. This Alice gal sure is something else to move Patchouli like that. I would like to meet her some day.

But there was something that has been bothering me for some time. It's been a while since I was able to be around Meiling. Sakuya has been posting me into Patchouli's room since that day without fail (and also reminding me about Flandre's invitation constantly). I barely catch some glimpses of her, and whenever I try to go to the gate, she's not there. Not to mention, I've been having breakfast on my own. Sometimes Patchouli joins me for dinner, but I can't deny I miss that redheaded dummy's energy.

After finishing today's quota, Patchouli sits in front of her table, pondering the notes she wrote today. Whatever she gave me today, made me feel tired, and ended up sleeping on her bed for some hours. I woke up at some point, just to find her looking through her window. The moon is already up.

I sit on her bed, groaning a bit. I feel groggy and my mind is foggy. "Oh man, that thing knocked me out cold."

She looks back at me, moving and sitting beside me. "And you finally decided to come back." She pats my shoulder. "How are you feeling now?"

"I feel hazy. And Sakuya is going to kill me if I don't wake up on time tomorrow, but probably she's going to send me here again. I expect you to let me rest a bit, please!"

Patchouli laughs lightly. "We'll see, you have to earn it. For now, you should go and have some dinner. We made enough progress today."

I stand up from her bed, stretching my limbs. At least this time I can feel my entire body. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then. Have a goodnight, miss librarian."

The mansion is completely empty at this hour, so I doubt the kitchen is running. No matter, usually I don't feel hungry after researching with Patchouli, so I go back to my room.

And of course, I can't sleep. That usually wouldn't be a problem, but my phone is almost dead, I didn't get any books from the library, and after that long nap, I doubt I can fall asleep any sooner.

This is going to be one of those nights. Lost in thought until the next morning.

It still surprises me how human they feel, despite the fact that they're from an entirely different species. I've seen eye to eye with them a lot more than I did with that scary maid. Eventually I'll have to move away from this mansion if Patchouli can't find any way to send me back. But why do I feel so bad about it? I know I'm clingy, but this is different. If I keep making friends through this land, if I ever fall in love with someone here, would I ever want to go back to my regular life? I-

*Knock, knock, knock*

Hm? Well, at least I'm not the only sleepless sap around here. I open the door just to find Meiling in front of me, carrying a bag with her.