A Stay in Gensokyo

Chapter Four - The Magician and Puppeteer

Resting against a futon that wasn't your own, under a roof that clearly isn't the one you've come to stare at, one would usually feel restless. This may not apply to everyone, however I fall under that category. I can say that I nodded off for a bit, perhaps an hour at most.

As I rise and push away the blankets, the door slowly opens as Marisa was standing beside it.

"Yo.~"

She greets as I was surprised to find anyone awake.

"M-Marisa? What are you doing up?"

"Well I can't seem to fall asleep, perhaps it's my anticipation for tomorrows party!"

Losing sleep the day before an event is considered childish, however the reason I'm awake is somewhat the same

She moves towards the windowsill and opens it whilst resting her arms against it. The rain seems to have passed from the short moments I was asleep.

"I also heard you talking to someone, which was one reason why I'm here.~"

" Me, talking...? No one's here, unless..."

"Sleeptalking ze?~ Don't worry though, I couldn't get a clear message, all I heard was murmuring."

The things we can't say directly can be disguised as sleep talk. The things we're afraid of telling another, we disguise it in our dreams. Because in them, we can't truly be hurt from the consequences of our actions.

"Do you like the stars, Yuuki?"

"The stars?"

"Well it's not like I can create some right now as the sky's covered with dark clouds."

It's overwhelming to be beneath a vast sky full of stars. It feels as though they're going to come crashing down, or perhaps the sky itself is even closer than in the morning. They say wishing upon a shooting star will grant you a wish but only if you withhold that to yourself. But if that's the case, then who exactly grants those wishes? If I were to experience that same scene at the playground that occurred the day before, would I wake up again in my own world?

"You can create stars, Marisa? That's amazing."

"Oh no no, not entirely. They only resemble them just a bit of my stardust reverie. They're far off from the real ones. I think only Patchouli would be able to create real ones."

"Patchouli..?"

"You may be able to meet her tomorrow at the party, if she decides to step out of her library. It's a rare case for a shut in to leave their comfort zone, though it's not impossible for her."

"Patchouli's a shut in?"

"Well, it may not be by choice, but that's enough about that. We should try and get some shut eye ze. If I see Patchouli I'll let you know."

Artificial stars, and the real deal. Is the difference between this Patchouli person and Marisa that vast?

She walks towards the door and as she's about to leave, she places her hand against the side of the door and turns back.

"Don't worry, Yuuki. Most people at the party will be friendly enough, some may not show it. But they're all good at heart, despite their looks or personalities. You can trust me ze.~"

"Oh... A-ahaha... That's one of my worries gone... B-but it's not the reason why I can't sleep!"

"Oh really? Aha, I'm really bad at reading people, perhaps I should improve on it!~ Sleep soon, Yuuki. Good night."

"...Thank you, Marisa. You're actually a really caring person aren't you?"

She seems to be the kind that comes of as arrogant and says the first thing that pops into her mind. However it's not like it's necessarily a bad trait for her.