Familiarity

Author's Note: Well, this is certainly a surprise. A literature section. Thank you, Remi. While I don't expect any comments or reviews, I guess I'll offload my writings here. These are, at first, short stories with Patchouli and Koakuma. It's beginning to become something else, something more dramatic...

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Patchouli Knowledge looked up from her book for what seemed to be the thirty-fourth time that afternoon. She was not expecting a raid from a certain black-white magician, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to a visit from the dollmaker. The tea from Sakuya had cooled down to a drinkable level, and there was still a sandwich to eat. The mage would not be bothered by any of the maids, and if it were any other day, she would be found with her head buried in her book. But, as much as she wanted to know how the story to her newest book ended, she was focused on a more interesting piece of work.

She furrowed her brow and looked on as a bookcase nearby filled up with books after a good dusting. There were many priceless novels on the shelves. Some were magical tomes, other simple short stories. They were treated the same by the mage, who enjoyed reading with a deep passion. She caressed their spines and patted their covers like a mother with a child; tenderly and lovingly. As she looked on, she realized that she was not the only one who cared so much about books.

Her scarlet-haired familiar dusted her hands and descended to the floorboards, her work completed. For Patchouli, Koakuma was nothing more than a servant. Her existence in Gensokuo was only due to the mage's summoning from Makai, and thus, she was bound to her. Like a good servant, Koakuma assisted with everything the mage did, even going above and beyond by taking care of physical tasks for the frail 'girl'. It was surprising behavior for a devil, given that they were typically such proud and arrogant creatures.

For many years, Koakuma was treated as a mere servant by the mage, albeit it was not as terrible as one would believe. Patchouli was not as hard on her servant as Remilia Scarlet was with her own personal mage, partly because the mage was not very needy. In fact, she was very reclusive and hardly ever left the Scarlet Devil Mansion, instead choosing to live to the end of her time reading her neverending supply of books. Reading was her passion, her profession. It was her reason for living, in a sense.

It was during a particularly long session of reading that the mage stumbled into a section she had never read into before. She approached the books within with all the usual downplayed enthusiasm before finishing them all within a few months, all set on going into another new section. However, the books she had read lingered in her mind more than others had before. They spoke of social skills, of being aware of psychology not as it related to science but as it related to humanity and socialization.

Patchouli had little need for socialization, even if she did stop for tea with Remilia every now and then. But the book's knowledge continued to grab at her and encourage her to pay attention. She found herself looking up more at the slightest of sounds and more glaringly, she discovered that she was beginning to enjoy the company of others, no matter how insignificant they seemed at first. Remilia was a book that had been read far too many times, and while she was still interesting, Patchouli wanted something different.

She turned to look at her familiar with a studious gaze, and if anyone knew her, when the booksmart mage got to studying, nothing would stand in her way.

She watched the familiar dust herself off before noticing that she had one book under her arm. Patchouli was not surprised at this. Whenever the familiar was finished with her jobs, she would take the opportunity to read by herself or near her mistress. They were usually the same genre of books: fiction, romance, and poetry. The book was taken out from under her arm and pressed against the succubus's generous chest as she dusted off her skirt. Patchouli lowered her book even more to get a look at it.

Black and red characters against a grey background. A gilded spine. Well-worn pages, from the look of it. It was not a very thick piece of work, so it was not a long read, but it did seem to be entertaining. Patchouli nodded and tried to once again return to her own reading when her violet eyes fell on more than just the book. She tilted her head at the way Koakuma held the book, her inquisitive gaze without shame. The way she held the book was just like Patchouli's manner, only with extra cushioning, both literally and figuratively speaking.

Patchouli blinked twice and continued to stare, even when Koakuma looked her way and blushed at the attention.

"…S-something wrong, Mistress?" she asked.

"N-no," Patchouli replied. "What are you reading?"

"It's… It's called Kanki's Trial. It's abou-"

"The troubles of emerging adulthood upon a young human girl's mind as she struggles to deal with her love interest and his problems," Patchouli interjected.

Koakuma blinked and nodded once.

"Y-yes…"

"I see. You must have just taken it for a read."

"Actually… I've had it for a week already…"

Patchouli continued to stare for a moment before she stood up and approached the devil. She gestured for the book, which the familiar gave without question. Once the book was in the mage's possession, she turned it over and inspected the quality. She could tell that it had been treated well by the crisp feeling of the paper between her fingers, and even better, the spine was not stressed. Koakuma had treated the book very well, as she always did with every book she had.

But the mistress only just noticed. She glanced up at Koakuma and discovered that she was looking at her with apprehension, as if she was expecting to be punished for her work or behavior. There was nothing to punish. In fact, such care was commendable. Patchouli shrugged and held the book out for her familiar, who took it back without a word.

"You've taken good care of this book, Koakuma," Patchouli said. "I've noticed you've taken fantastic care of all the books here, actually. Very good."

"Thank you, Mistress," the succubus replied.

Patchouli nodded and returned to her desk only to stop midway. She turned back to her familiar and coughed once into her hand.

"Koakuma."

"Y-yes, Mistress?"

"Are you finished for the day?"

Koakuma hugged her book a little tighter and nodded.

"I am, but that depends on your will, Mistress."

"I see… Would you like to join me for tea this evening?"

The familiar's eyes widened at the idea. It wasn't often that the mage didn't issue orders. She had a choice to either sit back and read, dust more on her own, or relax with her mistress and a cup of tea. She smiled wide and nodded.

"I would love to spend time with Mistress!" Koakuma cheered.

Patchouli yawned and moved back to her desk.

"Very well then. You are free this afternoon to do as you please."

"Yes. Yes, thank you, Mistress," the familiar cried as she bowed and ran off.

Out of the corner of her eye, the mage watched Koakuma leave. A small smile tugged at her lips.

---

"We'll need the red chalk for the spell," Patchouli mumbled over her cup of tea. "Koakuma, how many do we have in reserve?"

"There are two sticks left, Mistress," Koakuma replied with a nod of her head.

The mage grunted in response and took another sip. It was a typical Friday evening at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. The guard was failing to perform her duties, the mistress of the mansion was entertaining another slew of guests, and the maid was working her fingers to the bone. Remilia was the most sociable creature Patchouli had ever known, and she doubted there was any other, living or dead, who surpassed the vampire. That said, the reclusive mage wisely went off and away from the noise and commotion, her head buried in her books with a cup of hot tea to comfort her.

It would have been typical, had the devil not been there. Usually Koakuma would be off working extra hard to prepare the library for the next day, not sitting back to drink. However, ever since Patchouli offered her servant the opportunity to sit down with her for tea, she found herself extending the offer to every week instead of once every other blue moon. She tried to convince herself that she was only doing it for a few weeks, but as time passed, she kept inviting the familiar back, all with some excuse to cover up her unconscious, ulterior motives. There were plans to go over, books to order, supplies to take note of, and schemes to create.

All Patchouli wanted to do on Friday evenings was to continue her studies. She just didn't know it yet.

"Good, good," she said. She fixed Koakuma with an inquisitive gaze. "…You are a succubus, are you not?"

"M-Mistress, you know that," Koakuma whined, flustered by the question.

"It was rhetorical. I was wondering why you chose to spend your time with me when you could be off enjoying one of Remilia's parties." The mage looked into her teacup and stirred the blackish-brown liquid. "A succubus, like a vampire, is a social creature."

"Yes, this is true… But…"

Patchouli cocked an eyebrow.

"But…"

"I'd… rather spend time with Mistress," Koakuma forced out. She caught the unimpressed look on the mage's face and stammered, "I m-mean, Mistress could use the company! I mean, she's lonely! No no no, I-I mean-"

"It's alright, Koakuma," Patchouli interjected. She waved her hand nonchalantly. "I understand what you mean."

The devil's wings drooped as she looked at her mistress from her seat. It was no secret that the librarian of the mansion was an introvert. Her condition, her lifestyle, and her occupation all factored into a reclusive existence with nothing but her books and spells to comfort her. This is not to say that she despised the company of others. Every month when her condition bettered, she would make the trek to the front of the mansion for tea with her best friend and her sister, and if she stumbled across the guard and found humor in her poor performance, then all was well. However, the familiar had the sneaking suspicion that her mistress did not need to be reminded of her lack of a social life.

She fumbled with her hands and squeaked.

"I'm s-sorry, Mistress…"

"No need to apologize," Patchouli replied in her monotone voice. She drank from her tea again before looking up at Koakuma. "Why would you rather spend time with me? Surely there are better things to do with your time."

"B-but you invited me…"

The mage thought for a moment.

"That's right, I did. But why have you taken up the offer?"

"Because… I w-want to spend time with Mistress," Koakuma squeaked.

They had gone full circle. Pressing further would make the familiar uncomfortable, and Patchouli wanted to keep her at ease. Why though, she had no clue. Why was it that her familiar was so interesting all of a sudden? Was it the books she had read on psychology, the stories of social terrors, and the romantic novels? The mage did not place as high of a value on romance as she did on intellect and magic, but still, there was something interesting about the genre that she could not place her finger on. It infuriated her, but with Koakuma dipping into that field in her free time, Patchouli figured she would soon understand.

But why would the devil want to spend time with her mistress? Patchouli figured that the familiar would desire to spend time away from her to collect her thoughts. Sakuya used her free time to recuperate from Remilia's taxing requests, and she never spent more time with her or her sister than what was necessary. She was as loyal as a dog, but even dogs needed to get away from their masters at times.

If that analogy was correct, then what was Koakuma? Why did she desire to stick around? Was she doing this because she believed the mage was lonely? She did say that out loud, after all. Patchouli felt conflicted about this revelation. On one hand, she wanted to defend her position by saying she had no need for social interaction, but on the other hand, she felt touched by her familiar's thoughtfulness. She had given Koakuma time to do whatever she wished, and she chose to spend it by keeping her company.

"I understand." Patchouli could see Koakuma's expression twist into one of confusion. She was hoping for an elaboration. "Koakuma, these past few weeks with you have been… interesting, to say the least."

Koakuma's breath hitched. She was anticipating something negative, but she didn't dare interrupt her mistress with an apology.

"You are interesting for a devil. You've served me well, and you continue to do so. Even your treatment of my books is laudable." Patchouli set down her tea cup and rose from her seat. She approached the devil and stared down at her. "Not only that, you sacrifice your own free time just to keep me company. For that, I offer you my gratitude."

Surprising herself, the mage reached forward and placed her hand on Koakuma's shoulder. The devil widened her eyes at the contact and looked up at her mistress with quivering anticipation. She hardly ever touched her familiar like this. Koakuma smiled wide and sniveled, nodding her head once in acknowledgement.

"You're welcome… P-Patchouli-sama," she said.

Patchouli, her lips set in firm line, patted the devil's shoulder once more before returning to her seat. She enjoyed the smile on Koa's lips, and as she lifted her book to hide her face, she too smiled.

---

Patchouli took a few books from Koakuma's arms. She thumbed through the pages to ascertain that they were the right ones before nodding her thanks. Dark shadows fell under her normally bright eyes, her expression deathly apathetic. A recent problem involving a certain young mistress of the mansion had arisen, and Remilia Scarlet, needing assistance, turned to her best friend. Normally, the proud vampire would have relied on only herself to correct a problem with her sister, but this recent outburst had forced her to grab for a pair of extra hands. Unbeknownst to her, she had grabbed a very tired Patchouli Knowledge.

The mage was familiar with vampirism and the effects on the afflicted, and Flandre Scarlet was a constant quirk for the mansion's inhabitants. Normally a carefree, immature, and painfully affectionate girl with a questionable mental state, her behavior as of late had taken a turn for the strange. Her mood had changed to the point where she was even more of a terror, and she kept complaining that she had too little of that 'strawberry' cake and 'cherry' tea to suit her tastes. She had begun to play with her food, much to her refined sister's embarrassment, and was reported by the maid to pay particular attention to the 'icing' of her cake, even going to such lengths as to cover herself with it before licking it off.

Hematolagnia was the word the librarian found that could describe the behavior Flandre was exhibiting. She, without her knowing, was exploring a fetish. Remilia too had a sexual fetish for blood, but it came with being a vampire, she said. She learned to control her urges through her socialization, but Flandre would not be able to have that luxury. The mistress of the mansion turned to her friend and asked her to look for a way to convince Flandre to stop her activities, and she placed it as top priority. She hardly noticed the stress she was placing on Patchouli's shoulders.

Taking the books on psychology and vampirism to her desk, the magician sank deeper into her chair and yawned. She had been searching every nook and cranny in Voile for books that could help her out, but none so far had told her how to solve Remilia's problem. Her books could only supply her with knowledge, and what she chose to do with that dictated how she solved incidents and worked her magic. Dead ends were being reached at the conclusion of every book for the past week, but the mage was stubborn and undeterred. The library was so massive that there had to be something hidden around that could help, Patchouli thought.

Koakuma placed another stack of books near her mistress and collected the finished ones without a word. She had witnessed her mistress's stubbornness many times before, but this particular case brought forth an uncomfortable feeling within the servant. Whether it was born out of the passage of time or the frequent tea breaks, Koakuma was unsure. In her condition, the mage wasn't cut out for all-nighters, prolonged high-stress situations, and a lack of sleep. She needed all the rest she could get if she wanted to keep reading her books.

Because of her status as a magician coupled with the dust and stagnant air of the library, it wasn't a good idea for Patchouli to push her luck. Koakuma set off to return the books when she stopped in mid-step. She knew it was not a good idea to question her mistress, but when it came to her health and happiness, the servant figured there could be an exception. She looked back at her mistress. The mage had her head tucked into yet another dusty tome, and with another hacking cough, she turned the page to continue researching. Already her appearance looked worse for wear, and if Patchouli did not look out for herself soon, Koakuma doubted there would be anything left to fuss over.

The succubus walked back to the desk and waved away a bit of dust from Patchouli's disturbance.

"P-Patchouli-sama," she coughed.

"What is it?" Patchouli mumbled.

Koakuma faltered at her mistress's voice. She sounded displeased, but more than that, she seemed to be covering up her irritation. It would be better to back away and let the mage be, Koakuma thought, but she pressed forward.

"Don't you think you should rest?"

"I'm fine."

"You haven't slept in days, Mistress," Koakuma said. She searched for Patchouli's eyes behind her book, but the mage was hiding them well. "It… It isn't healthy…"

"Neither is putting off Flandre's approaching outburst," Patchouli replied.

"Oh, really?" Koakuma narrowed her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "And how far away is that?"

She hissed and took a step back, her expression of exasperation changing to fright. That was a snappy outburst, one that was uncharacteristic of the servant. Surely she would be punished for that, but it was a warranted remark. If the mage wasn't going to look out for herself, then her servant would do it for her, with or without her consent. There was a period of silence between the two, broken by coughs when Patchouli continued to read after a while. Koakuma bit her lip and contemplated running off when the mage spoke again.

"P-perhaps I am a little tired," Patchouli admitted with a nod. She looked at Koakuma from the top of her book. "Koakuma. Coffee. Now."

"B-but Mistress, you mu-"

The look in Patchouli's eyes offered no room for backtalk. Koakuma gulped and nodded. She took off to return the books in her hands to their proper place on the shelves before making the trek to the mansion's kitchen, just to brew some coffee for her stubborn mistress. Such a request could have been taken care of by Sakuya, who was used to outlandish orders. Koakuma figured that this was her punishment for snapping at her mistress, but still, if she wanted caffeine now, she would have relied on the maid. That thought lingered in the devil's mind as she took a steaming cup of coffee and returned to Voile.

She walked through the section of psychology and mythological beings she had been taking books from and noticed all the books that had yet to be touched by the mage. While Koakuma loved the young mistress of the mansion, she had a feeling that whatever problem she had would work itself out. Many things in life managed to do just that without outside help. As she looked into the cup of coffee in her hands, Koakuma could see her own solemn frown reflected in the blackish-brown liquid. She was just about to hand her sleep-deprived mistress the fuel to further torture herself with, and it made her more than a little uncomfortable.

Her headwings drooped as she came back to Patchouli's desk.

"Mistress, I…"

She cut herself off when she noticed her mistress had passed out on her desk. The purple-haired librarian rested her head between the pages of her book, her eyes shut, her chest raising and lowering with every breath she took. Koakuma approached and examined her to see that she was just sleeping, although she was in a terrible spot to do so. The servant smiled despite this, appreciating that her mistress was finally sleeping instead of pushing herself even more. The smile did not last, however.

Patchouli was sleeping for the first time in days, but she had asked for coffee to stay awake. For that reason, Koakuma contemplated waking her up so she could continue working, but even she couldn't follow through with it. It did not seem right to rob her mistress of sleep, even if it was an order. Koakuma placed the coffee on the table and thought for a moment. Could she disobey her mistress if the end result was a healthier mage? She bit her fingernails and reached for the mage's shoulder to rouse her when Patchouli shivered in her sleep.

Koakuma blinked and pulled her hand back. Perhaps her mistress was cold? She didn't look to be too comfortable sitting at her desk with a book as a pillow, and the temperature of the library was not very pleasant at times. Acting without thinking, Koakuma took off and returned with a wool blanket. She dragged it over Patchouli's back and left it around her shoulders, hesitating whenever she shivered again. Koakuma backed away and watched with surprise as Patchouli snuggled into the blanket and smiled.

It would be an unforgivable crime to wake her now.

The devil turned away, uncertain of what she had just done. She had encouraged her mistress to sleep instead of waking her up as ordered. A spark of realization hit Koakuma, and she smiled herself. She was supposed to disobey Patchouli, she realized, but only for her own good. With an appreciative look towards her mistress, the servant picked up the cup of coffee and drank it herself. There were still books to gather, but the familiar could take care of that.

For now, her mistress could rest easy. She needed it.

---

The air was hot and humid, the summer season unveiling its splendor upon Gensokyo. The flower youkai tended to her sunflowers, the fairies danced and flew through the forests, and the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion were restless and uncomfortable. They neither appreciated nor welcomed summer as much as the others did, and for good reason. The mansion was only as comfortable as its occupants.

Remilia, being a vampire, hated to be tortured by the bright sun. She figured the humidity would make her more thirsty, making her more irritable. She knew that what bothered her would also bother Flandre if she got out, but with more consequences. Meiling now moved with the shade to feel more comfortable at her post, even though the heat made her more of a slacker, Sakuya's performance took a considerable hit as she used more energy to keep her mistress refreshed, and Patchouli, being the shut-in she was, could hardly sit still anymore. Even Koakuma felt the need to move around more in the library, even if it meant slipping up every now and then.

Patchouli fanned herself with her hand as she tried to read. She wanted the temperature to be chilly again as it helped increase her concentration and made warm tea something to be enjoyed instead of loathed. She appreciated the refined atmosphere tea brought. With water, there was only the need to sustain oneself; no pleasure whatsoever. The mage grumbled to herself. The heat was making her think like Remilia… She contemplated asking for another glass of water, but the memory of Koakuma tripping and drenching her convinced her otherwise.

"Koakuma," Patchouli said. "Do we have any… any iced tea?"

"Sorry Mistress," Koakuma replied as she returned to Patchouli's desk. She frowned. "We're all out of tea leaves at the moment, and Sakuya-san won't be leaving for the human village for another couple of hours."

"How unfortunate." The mage looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Remilia should invest in some form of air conditioning…"

"Couldn't you devise a spell for that, Mistress?"

Patchouli looked over at Koakuma with an incredulous look.

"I could, but I have better uses for my magic than to tend to personal comfort. The kappa could make themselves useful in my stead."

Koakuma nodded dejectedly. Her mistress's pride was showing again. While the devil figured the mage had enough power to do whatever she pleased, she chose to use it only for research, experiments, danmaku duels, and self-defense. To use it for pleasure would be squandering her gifts. Koakuma could respect that, and she appreciated that her mistress had a good head on her shoulders, but if she could use her powers to make her life easier, nothing of value would be lost.

The mage tried to return to her book, but her violet eyes continued to linger on her familiar. The weekly tea breaks with her were enjoyable and effective, and the familiar's discretion when she knew better than her was much appreciated, but Patchouli couldn't help but think there was something more to Koakuma's actions. Before the tea breaks, the succubus would leave the mage be and solely take care of the library. Now, she went above and beyond simple requests and had taken a larger role in Patchouli's health concerns as of late, possibly because the mage did not mind.

Was Koakuma doing it because she figured it was part of her duties, or was she doing it out of selfless concern?

"M-Mistress, it's rather stuffy inside," Koakuma said, perturbed by Patchouli's stare.

"It is, isn't it?" Patchouli tugged at the collar to her robes. "I don't suppose you have a solution for this… do you?"

"…Actually, I think I do." The familiar smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Patchouli-sama, do you feel ill today?"

Patchouli shook her head.

"I don't feel as ill as I do uncomfortable. What are you suggesting?"

"Well… If your illnesses won't trouble you today and you feel up to it, we could go outside."

"Outside?" Patchouli lowered her brow. "Why should we go outside?"

Koakuma looked up in thought and paced about.

"It's a beautiful day outside, Mistress. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and there's comfort there that you can't find indoors."

"There's comfort here that you can't find outdoors, Koakuma," Patchouli said. She raised her book over her eyes to strike a point. "My world is in my books, and my spells."

That was enough to end the conversation right then and there, but Koakuma felt the need to push it further. She reached forward and lowered Patchouli's book. She looked over it, gazing into her mistress's violet eyes. Patchouli widened her eyes at the act. Just what was Koakuma doing, she thought with a small blush. It wasn't normal for her to pursue something when her mistress shot it down.

"P-Patchouli-sama," Koakuma stuttered with a frown. "You can't just ignore the world outside these walls. There's so much out there that's begging to be seen, explored, and more importantly, documented. The authors who have written the books that you read go outside and search for inspiration. Could you find inspiration there as well for one of your own books, Patchouli-sama?"

"Koakuma, I…" Patchouli struggled for words in light of Koakuma's blunt statement. "I don't see…"

"If it's any reassurance, Mistress, there's supposed to be a nice breeze today."

Patchouli thought for a moment. Her illness did not allow her to do anything too strenuous or go to places where she would be bombarded with the elements. If she had her way, she would be tucked away in her bed with all of the world's greatest pieces of literature at her fingertips and her familiar serving her dutifully down to every tiny order. But there was logic in the familiar's words. Perhaps it would be wise to seek out a bit of fresh air, as it was called. The mage nodded and rose from her seat.

"Very well, Koakuma." The mage give a dramatic sigh and tucked her book under her arm. "You've convinced me."

"I… I have?"

"Yes. To ignore the world outside when it could hold secrets begging to be unearthed… How foolish of me." Patchouli rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "And my health is very good today. No wonder I am restless; my body wishes to move about, even to the extent where it disobeys the mind."

"…What?"

"Lead on, Koakuma." The mage fell behind the devil and looked up at her. "To the gardens we go."

The devil nodded, yet she hesitated. With the way the mage was standing behind her, she almost thought that she wanted her to grab her hand and guide her. But that was a silly thought, as Patchouli could walk well enough on her own. Besides, physical contact, especially by a succubus, was looked down upon when it came to servants and masters. Remilia only ever touched her servant when she was drunk, very pleased, or was looking to make punishments personal. Then again, Patchouli wasn't one to mirror her friend's behavior.

Koakuma lead her mistress through Voile and up a set of spiral stairs to the main balcony. The library was a magnificent place, even grander than the Scarlet Devil Mansion itself. Bookcases filled the walls and shot up to the dark ceiling, small oil lamps illuminated the aisles, and the entire library had an artistic symmetry to it all. Whoever stood at the main balcony and looked over the library would feel tiny and insignificant in comparison, but not Patchouli. She was a goddess in her own personal realm.

The Scarlet Devil Mansion, as the pair rediscovered, was a remarkable work of architecture. It wasn't just a clever name, either. The Scarlet sisters living in the mansion gave it the infamous name, as did the red materials used to build the entire building. Red bricks, crimson drapes, scarlet carpeting, burgundy wood flooring. There wasn't much in the mansion that wasn't red. Elegant and well-maintained by countless fairy maids, the mansion was one of the most prominent locations in all of Gensokyo. The pair made their way through the halls and stepped out into the grand entryway.

Patchouli looked outside the window, shielded her eyes from the sunlight, and then promptly had a sneezing fit.

"M-Mistress, are you alright?" Koakuma asked.

"Fine. I am fine," the mage said before wiping her nose. "Sensory overload. It has been some time since I have set foot outdoors…"

"A month, I believe."

"Remilia's balcony does not count, Koakuma."

"In that case… Four months."

The mage grunted at that. She gestured for Koakuma to open the doors outside and fell into step behind her once again. As soon as she stepped outside, she was hit with a blast of cold warm, humid air that immediately made her begin to sweat. Sunlight fell down upon her body and made her golden crescent shine upon her mob cap. She sneezed again and covered her eyes with her pale hands. She knew that her familiar was very close to her, just waiting for her mistress to collapse.

But Patchouli composed herself once again and looked out towards the garden of the mansion. A wide cobblestone path led from the steps of the entryway, around a large marble fountain, and right out the main gate. Alongside the path were many pristine cut hedges and stones as well as red flowers of all kinds. Patchouli wiped her brow and approached the fountain, gazing into the water. It was as clear as the cloudless sky. With the birds singing in the distance combined with the buzzing of dutiful bees, it was a near-perfect day.

Patchouli caught Koakuma's reflection next to hers and turned to address her.

"Koakuma, have the maids informed you of anything new added to the garden?"

"Yes, actually. There have been multiple additions." Koakuma pointed towards the gate and drifted her hand away to show the surrounding hedges and garden plots. "The guardhouse has been repaired since the thief's last appearance, Lady Remilia has replaced the old patio furniture, and there's a new batch of flowers."

"Is there?" Patchouli leaned out to look where the familiar was pointing. She could see a patch of red and white in the distance along with tiny splotches of other colors thrown into the mix. "Color me curious."

The mage stepped away from the fountain and took off down a side path towards the main part of the gardens. She paid attention to the flowers on the side with much interest. There were tulips, daisies, chrysanthemums, gardenias, hydrangeas, and many rose bushes. Meiling, the gatekeeper, doubled as the gardener of the mansion. Under her care, the front of the mansion looked spectacular and welcoming. Patchouli felt her heart skip a beat when she discovered a large patch of purple in the distance.

She approached the patch and leaned over it to examine its contents. A strange group of flowers were the centerpiece amongst the surrounding violet tulips. The petals were large and sprayed out in three directions. Inward, the purple changed its shade to black, forming a "face" of sorts. Within this face, Patchouli could see a yellow center where the nectar was stored. It reminded her of herself and how her golden crescent highlighted her dark appearance.

Koakuma came up and looked down at the flowers as well. She figured her mistress would enjoy these.

"Viola tricolor hortensis," Patchouli muttered as she caressed the petals of a flower.

"C-come again, Mistress?"

"The pansy flower, Koakuma. Such a small thing, yet so expressive." The mage reached forward and picked a single flower. She held it up for a moment. "Flowers can mean so many things. Love, peace, purity… What does a pansy mean?"

"I… I'm afraid I do not know," Koakuma sheepishly replied.

"In light of our ignorance, we tend to supply our own meanings."

Patchouli stood up straight and placed the flower in a pocket of her robes. The fragrance of the flowers around her was light and pleasing to her sinuses, not overwhelming her as she had feared. She walked about the garden with her familiar with a spring in her step. Koakuma looked on with a smile. Although it was just a simple walk, her mistress was showing promise. Whenever she was away from her library, Patchouli seemed much healthier and lively, although that was only when she was feeling up for activity.

The pair trekked around the entire garden, occasionally stopping to rest. Koakuma did not want to pressure her mistress any more than necessary. She protected her by steering her away from anything that could overwhelm her, which ranged from strong-smelling exotic flowers to agitated bees. She wondered if she was doing this because it was expected of her or if it was something more personal. She figured it would be a bad idea to let her mistress get hurt, as it would make her work tougher, but she also didn't want to see her suffer. The devil cared more about her mistress's happiness than she cared about her own wellbeing.

Koakuma adored her mistress. She would not deny that, but was there more to it than adoration? Patchouli did not seek companionship very often, and when she did, she usually sought out Remilia. Nowadays she had begun to confide in Koakuma more than she did her best friend, but was it because she was closer? Was it because she trusted her servant with her emotions? Patchouli loved to impart her knowledge upon those she trusted, after all. Perhaps the mage was growing an attachment to her devil that went beyond professionalism.

It was a conundrum that the devil entertained for months. She doubted that her mistress could pay her servant much mind, but this recent excursion had been Koakuma's idea. Patchouli would not have humored her years ago…

"K-Koakuma," Patchouli wheezed.

"Mistress?" Kokauma said, ripped from her thoughts.

"I'm starting… starting to feel my body reach its limit. Don't worry, it will pass."

"Don't push yourself any further, Mistress." Koakuma stood in front of the stubborn mage. She searched for her eyes under her mob cap. "We've been out here for nearly an hour already. We should return, and you should rest." When Patchouli looked up at her familiar, Koakuma winced. "I'm… I'm sorry that I s-suggested this walk in your current state…"

Patchouli waved off her familiar.

"Nonsense. I have no regrets, and I quite enjoyed this little outing." She gave a bright smile. "Thank you for suggesting this. If you insist that I return to Voile, then I will."

She hesitated for a moment before reaching forward. She grasped Koakuma's hand and held herself steady for the walk back. Patchouli noticed that her familiar jolted at the touch, but she did not question the matter. It felt rather nice to hold the devil's hand, as it was soft and warm to the touch. She looked up at Koakuma again and coughed into her other hand.

"Lead the way, Koakuma."

"As… As you wish, Mistress," Koakuma said with a blush.

---

"Koakuma," Patchouli called out as she looked up from her notes. "Are you nearby?"

The sound of footsteps echoed throughout Voile and announced the arrival of the devil as she stumbled into view. She smoothed out her black dress and snapped to attention.

"Yes Mistress?"

Patchouli slid a few books forward over her desk and tapped the cover of the largest one. It was a guide to finding and indentifying a multitude of exotic plants and mushrooms found in Gensokyo. Written by a revered youkai botanist centuries ago, the guide was near invaluable for any who wished to gather ingredients for potions or healing salves. A certain thief would enjoy having such a book in her collection, but she would have to wait. Patchouli had the book in her possession, and she wasn't about to let go with it anytime soon.

She had rediscovered the joys of nature after a few more walks through the garden, enough that it spurred her to take action. In her condition, she wasn't fit to travel about Gensokyo in search of herbs and the like, but it wouldn't stop her from brushing up on them. What the mage could not do physically, she read about and studied for the day that she could. If possible, the herbs and plants around the mansion's outer walls would serve well for future potion brewing. Patchouli had a lot of free time to tend to another project, so experimenting with potions it was.

And it was all thanks to Koakuma dragging her out of the library every now and then.

"Leave this and take the other books back. I want you to find three more guides like this one here and bring them to me."

"Checking facts?" Koakuma asked as she picked up the books. She pressed them close to her chest and looked on.

"That, and more accounts and recordings," Patchouli replied. She pulled the large guide back into her awaiting hands and opened it to the first pages again. "The more educated classifications and discoveries from various sources, the better. I don't want to come down with a disease because an author mistook macabre leaf for salvia officinalis."

"I understand, Mistress."

Koakuma smiled. The mage was a good tactician and planner, and she made a point of brushing up on information when time permitted. She was a walking, talking library of knowledge, but even they needed maintenance. The devil was happy that her mistress was taking the initiative to prepare herself for the physical trials ahead, but more than that, she was happy that she wasn't being as stubborn as she used to be. When in unfamiliar territory, Koakuma never failed to remind her mistress of her limits. It was good that Patchouli decided to take those limits to heart.

The servant walked off to return the books with a noticeable spring in her step. Patchouli watched her leave with a curious expression from the top of her book. It seemed that the simple act of being acknowledged was enough to make the devil happy, but there was more to it than that, thought the mage. All people enjoyed knowing that someone went out of their way to acknowledge their existence, but it was a temporary high. Patchouli had worked with the familiar for many years and had never seen that happy spring before.

Perhaps it came down to being appreciated. The devil had been praised many times before, but Patchouli had viewed it as a necessary part of training. Over time, praise was no longer required. Koakuma's good work was to be expected, and any accolades gained would have seemed repetitive and unnecessary. However, the past few months with her had been full of interesting surprises, and the mage had found herself enjoying her time with her servant more than she enjoyed her solitude. Patchouli figured she had gained a true appreciation for her familiar in that time.

Shrugging, Patchouli returned to her book and reread a few pages before she heard her familiar return, her wings wooshing through the air before she touched down.

"Hmm… That was quick, Koakuma," Patchouli noted.

"Hello, Patchy."

The mage jumped in her seat and looked up from her book. Standing before her at her desk was the mistress of the mansion herself, Remilia Scarlet. The vampire was dressed in her usual clothes: a pink dress and matching mob cap that rested atop her cerulean hair. Her appearance was unassuming for her kind given that she wasn't very tall, but her power, personality, and the way she carried herself made her a force to be reckoned with. Appearances were deceiving, especially in Gensokyo.

Remilia gave a fanged grin as she leaned against her best friend's desk.

"Are you busy at the moment?" she asked.

"Erm… Well, I was planning to-"

"Good! Say, have you lost weight?"

Patchouli raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Haven't you asked that question the last time we had tea? If so, the answer remains the same: no, not that I have noticed."

"But you look much healthier than you did the last time I laid eyes on you." Remilia tilted her head and placed a hand under her chin. "Maybe you haven't lost weight, but there is something different about you. Perhaps it has to do with those walks you've been making."

"You've seen me about the garden?"

"No, but I have heard about it from your familiar who in turn told my servant who then told me. It's almost as if you're trying to hide your good health…" The vampire pouted a little. "Patchy, I'm hurt. You didn't even come to have tea with me last week."

Patchouli frowned and looked away. Of course, the monthly tea breaks! She couldn't possibly make it to every single one given the unpredictability of her illnesses, but the fact that she missed one while healthy at the time made her feel guilty. She had planned on going, but she had gotten caught up in a different, more interesting engagement. Koakuma had remarked that she had been reading more advanced and famous pieces of literature, and she had inadvertently caught her mistress's full attention. Before they knew it, the mage and servant had read through four different epics with much gusto together.

It was very entertaining to read together with idle commentary, so much that Patchouli completely lost track of time.

"Forgive me. I was… busy at the time. Regardless, I doubt that you came all this way to inquire upon my health," Patchouli replied. She fixed her friend with an inquisitive stare. "Speak your business."

"Can't I visit a dear friend?" Remilia sighed and smirked. "Ufufufu… You read me like a book, as always… Very well, I came to ask you if you had any plans for this Friday."

Patchouli opened her mouth to reply when her familiar flew in nearby with three large tomes. Koakuma touched down and approached her mistress's desk, but the sight of Remilia made her hesitate. The look the vampire was giving her was not a friendly one but rather a condescending glare. A servant had no business intruding on a private conversation, thought Remilia. She made a shooing motion with her hand to send Koakuma off before returning her attention to her friend. Much to her chagrin, Patchouli waved her familiar forward.

"H-here are y-your books, Mistress," Koakuma stuttered as she placed the books on the desk.

"Ah yes, these guides again." Patchouli fingered through them all in a minute, nodding her head when she was pleased. "Good. Thank you, Koakuma. You may take a quick break for a moment; I will call you when I need you again."

Koakuma bowed at that.

"Thank you, M-Mistress."

The vampire watched the "little devil" leave out of the corner of her eye.

"You shouldn't encourage her to interrupt, Patchy. She seems to have overstepped her boundaries."

"She seems to have performed her duties to the letter," Patchouli replied in her monotone voice. She held up one of the guides Koakuma had brought. "See this? This is a guide to subterranean plants and herbs, co-authored by Eirin Yagokoro herself. I didn't even know I had this in my possession. I applaud Koakuma's resourcefulness." The mage placed the book back on her desk and shot a glare at her friend. "If she had overstepped her boundaries, I would have noticed. Now, you were wondering if I had plans for Friday?"

Almost instantly, the fanged grin reappeared on the socialite's face.

"Indeed. I was hoping that you would consider coming up to the mansion's foyer for this week's social gathering." Remilia looked Patchouli over for a moment as if gauging her response. "You do look healthy, so perhaps you have reached your peak for the year."

"You wish for me to be present for another one of your parties?" Patchouli asked. She shook her head. "No. I couldn't. Remilia, you know me all too well. When it comes to being social, I am your direct opposite."

"Come on, Patchy. I know that you love to talk."

"I love to talk with people who are intelligent and know what I'm talking about!" Patchouli shot back. "If I go to this party, I foresee me standing in a corner wishing that I could be back in my library with a nice book."

Remilia sighed and rapped her fingers on Patchouli's desk.

"You know that you've always been welcome at my parties. I haven't asked you for decades because of your health, but since this is the healthiest I've seen you in awhile, I'm bringing it up again." The vampire gave a friendly smile. "Come to the party. It would be a welcome reprieve from your usual Fridays in this dark library."

"I'm unsure… I don't know how this party of yours will turn out."

"Isn't that the appeal of social situations? Not knowing how they will play out? It's like a book. You can turn one down because it's part of a genre you don't enjoy or it's too long, but you might be surprised when you finally read through it."

Patchouli shot Remilia an exasperated look.

"I am not judging a book by its cover."

"I didn't say you were. I'm handing you a book to read and you're turning it down." Remilia held her head higher and leaned back when her friend sighed. She knew she had won. "It'll be fun. There'll be food, drinks, and spirits, both figuratively and literally. The Prismriver Sisters are coming this week, as are a few others. Even the miko is attending."

"Really?" Patchouli thought for a moment before sighing. "I suppose I'll attend this party. It would be a shame to waste my good health by staying here for yet another Friday evening… Oh, I'll have to notify my familiar about this. She may or may not be interested in coming along."

"As your servant, she should tend to the library in your absence," Remilia offered, her tone dark yet again.

"Nonsense. Where I go, my familiar goes as well." Patchouli leaned back in her chair. "I know this is a tame, social gathering, but can you blame me for wanting to take precautions? If I have an attack, I want my familiar to aid me. You will be busy being the host for the evening, after all."

Remilia clicked her tongue and looked away. The scarlet devil had nothing against Koakuma personally. She was a noblewoman with a large mansion to take care of, and since it took a large amount of work to maintain it, the mansion was left to the numerous fairy maids, most of which weren't very intelligent or powerful. Because of this, Remilia viewed servants as property that could be replaced when they outlived their usefulness. It was not a complicated relationship in her eyes. The mistress was in charge and demanded unquestioning obedience, and the servants were there to support her.

Regardless, Koakuma was her friend's servant. Not hers.

"You have a point. Very well, bring her if you so wish." The vampire turned back to Patchouli and smiled again. "I look forward to seeing you both enjoy yourselves. As always, take care, Patchy."

And with that, the vampire spread her small wings and took off through Voile back to her own domain. Patchouli breathed a small sigh of relief at her departure before looking out over her desk. Something didn't feel right. It felt as if someone was nearby with an open ear. She listened for the slightest of sounds, and when she heard a tiny scuffle nearby, she rolled her eyes.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop."

After hearing a startled squeak, Patchouli looked on as her familiar stepped out from behind a bookcase. Koakuma looked utterly ashamed of her behavior, but her eyes told a different story. They were shimmering with adoration. She was surprised that her mistress would defend her, let alone keep her in mind.

"Well, Koakuma?" Patchouli stood up from her desk and stood at the front of it. She folded her arms and frowned. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Mistress," Koakuma squeaked.

"Well then, apology accepted. Now come here." The devil brightened up and advanced towards her mistress. She bowed respectfully. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything…"

Patchouli nodded.

"And what are your thoughts?"

"…Remilia-sama doesn't like me very much, does she?"

"She comes from nobility, Koakuma. Her attitude towards servants is the result of her previous society's influence." Patchouli shook her head. "It is nothing personal. She simply does not appreciate most of what her servants do for her."

An uncomfortable silence washed over the library's attendants after that statement.

"Mistress…" Koakuma hesitated and clutched her hand to her breast. "M-may I ask you a question?"

"You may."

"Do you… do you appreciate me, Mistress?"

The mage was taken aback by her familiar's question. She had expected this question from her at some point in her life, but hearing it still made her fumble for words. She bowed her head as she thought. She did not think of her familiar as something that could be replaced, and she valued her for more than just her labor. While the mage could easily summon another familiar from Makai, she realized that there was only one Koakuma. That, and should the familiar ever disappear, she would be missed by her mistress, the one who hardly ever sought companionship. That realization was enough to put a small blush into her cheeks.

She looked back up at Koakuma and nodded again.

"Of course I do. You are very careful with the books in Voile, and you tend to this library with such diligence that I'm constantly finding new reads where I would find layers of dust and cobwebs. On top of that, you take care of me when I fall ill and do your best to see me back on my feet." Patchouli reached out and grasped Koakuma's shoulder. She felt the devil tense up for a moment before relaxing. "I also value your companionship. You are a good servant, Koakuma. You are also a good friend."

Koakuma beamed. Hearing her mistress say that meant the world to her. Before she could stop herself, she reached around and wrapped the frail magician in a crushing hug. She felt the softness of her mistress's chest, the warmth of her body, and the tenderness of her skin. It was a wonderful feeling, and the devil wanted to hold on for hours on end. Patchouli, however, did not feel the same way. She was not prepared, and she had no clue as to how to react.

She patted Koakuma's back and wheezed.

"K-Koakuma…"

"Hmm? Oh!" Koakuma released her mistress and took a step back. She blushed with embarrassment. "S-sorry, Mistress."

Patchouli brushed the hem of her robes and huffed.

"No harm done, and… I admit that I did not mind, but do ask before you do something like that."

"Of course. Sorry again."

"Now that your question has been answered, onto the bigger question… What are your thoughts on this party of Remilia's?"

"I don't have much of an opinion, Mistress," Koakuma confided. She shrugged and smiled. "I go where you go."

It should have been an obvious answer. A succubus, again, was a social creature who thrived around others. She would have jumped on the opportunity to attend a party, but yet, she did not. It made Patchouli think once again. She had never seen her familiar act very lewd or provocatively like she had read most succubi to be, nor did she show a strong interest to get away from Voile. She figured Koakuma used what little personal time she had to 'compose' herself before facing her mistress again, as even the most powerful of creatures had their urges and instincts to adhere to.

Patchouli decided to keep such personal questions in mind for later study.

"Very well. I look forward to you accompanying me."

She returned to her desk without a word, feeling Koakuma's adoring gaze on her back. Still, she hesitated. There was more to say, she thought.

"Yes? What else is there?" she asked.

"M-Mistress… I…" Koakuma prodded her fingers together, nervous once again. "I wanted to… to thank you for defending me, back there."

Patchouli turned back and fixed her familiar with a warm gaze, her lips set in a firm line.

"Think nothing of it. Had I not defended you, you would have been uncomfortable and doubtful of your skills. That, and you would be depressed." Patchouli shrugged. "Besides, a happy servant is an efficient servant. Now, back to work."

"Y-yes, of course, Mistress," Koakuma chirped, her cheeks red.

---

Patchouli yawned and rubbed her mob cap between her fingers as she stood in her personal quarters. She looked up at her mirror and saw herself; a frail, sickly magician dressed in her signature purple robes. As the lone librarian of Voile, she had no reason to make herself look attractive or clean herself up more than what was necessary to keep her from smelling more than arsenic and old tomes. She reached for the golden crescent on her mob cap and pulled it off, placing the cap off to the side on her bed. The very least she could do with her good health was try something different, so she pinned the crescent to her hairline, allowing it to highlight her dark purple locks.

It was quiet in Voile, as it should always be, but she knew it was loud and rowdy elsewhere. A party hosted by Remilia was just starting, and Patchouli felt obligated to attend. She knew that she could stay where she was and miss out, but she remained absolute with her decision. It would be a shame to waste her health loafing about reading, even if it was something she enjoyed doing. She felt guilty that she had missed the monthly tea break with her best friend, and she felt that attending would test her in a way that she had never been tested before.

Emerging from her shell, if only for a moment, to mingle with those who were not residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion…

"The obligations of stumbling upon a pool of health," Patchouli grumbled. She prodded her crescent again and rubbed her eyes. "Blessings and curses are all in the eye of the beholder!"

She contemplated taking her grimoire with her, but she relented. A party was a social gathering, not an invitation to get into a danmaku duel or a fight for life. Guests would be trading stories and spirits, not bullets and snarls. At that deduction, Patchouli reached for a thick storybook and caressed the spine before reeling her hand back. Once again, she relented. If she brought something to distract her at this party, she may as well have her head down in Voile with Remilia entertaining guests around her.

A soft knocking at her door brought her out of her thoughts.

"Mistress? Are you ready to go?"

It was her familiar, Koakuma. Like her mistress, she wasn't looking forward to this social gathering. Social creature or not, she was sympathetic towards her mistress's nervousness and shared her desire for peace and quiet. Anything that would cause her discomfort was to be avoided, and if it couldn't, then Koakuma would do her best to ease the pain. She waited for Patchouli to unlock her door and step outside. She noticed that she neither had her cap or a book under her arm.

"I'm ready," Patchouli muttered.

"You're not taking your cap or a book with you?"

"This is a social gathering, Koakuma. The least I can do is look the part, although I will not do so by dressing up in lavish outfits." Patchouli nervously brushed the hem of her dress. "As for a book, well… it'd be best that I pay attention to my surroundings."

"If you say so, Mistress," Koakuma replied.

Patchouli gave her familiar a quick look-over. Like her, the devil had forgone any attempts at dressing up. She wore the same black and white dress with a red tie and black stockings to go with her high-heels; a modest appearance, and arguably the most professional-looking one of all who worked or lived in the mansion. Rarely had the mage seen her familiar wearing anything but that outfit. She contemplated how she would look wearing something else, be it more or less. Patchouli furrowed her brow at the strange thought, but she paid it no further mind.

With a grunt, she set off away from her quarters and towards the grand stairs that would take her up to the mansion. She felt her familiar lay her hand on her shoulder and hesitated.

"Patchouli-sama, y-you shouldn't tire yourself out so quickly by walking there," Koakuma warned. "P-perhaps if you draw upon your mana and fly there, you won't feel as exhausted."

"...That is a good point," Patchouli admitted. She reached up to her shoulder to pat Koakuma's hand, unintentionally driving her away. "I have plenty of mana to spare at the moment. After all, not having to cast spells or recite arias this week has left me with more than enough."

Koakuma smiled at that. While her mistress had not looked forward to Remilia's grand gathering, she had kept herself healthy and refrained from overexerting herself. Her pride had gotten the better of her, and it wasn't a bad thing at all. The mage took a deep breath and twiddled her fingers before she began to levitate a good foot off from the floor. Her feet dipped down as if she was lazily hanging, but other than that, she seemed poised for activity. She proved that when she drifted up the stairs to the mansion, her familiar hovering close behind with her wings keeping her aloft.

The fairy maids of the mansion were a blur of activity. Everywhere the librarian and servant looked, a fairy was hard at work. The hallways leading to Voile and the numerous guest rooms weren't supposed to be the center of attention for Remilia's guests, but she was not going to let that make her complacent. She spared no expense when it came to maintaining her mansion. Everything was being dusted and cleaned until it looked spotless. Koakuma looked down at the hardwood flooring and gasped. One could eat like a god on a pristine floor like that!

For Patchouli, this obsessive cleaning by the fairies was the norm. Their little wings beat furiously as they darted about to the next object, their minds focused on performing their duties. They weren't good for much else other than cleaning and general labor, which was perfect for maintaining a mansion but bad for attending to personal matters. When it came to carrying out complex orders, they struggled. A human had better luck with those, which was why Sakuya was highly prized by her mistress.

Highly prized, yet not very appreciated, Patchouli deduced.

The two touched down in the hallway leading up to the foyer and looked in. The foyer of the Scarlet Devil Mansion was just as immense as the central chamber in Voile, although more spectacular. Marble columns hugged the walls and kept the dome of a ceiling up, allowing the many lights held within to remain bright and secure. The scarlet carpet was encircled by more marble, but that wasn't the most amazing feature of the foyer. A large, gilded pentagram was the centerpiece, a symbol for the magical energies that wafted throughout the mansion.

A multitude of guests were in the foyer, most of whom were busy chatting and enjoying each other's company. Patchouli raised her eyebrows at the sight. Only Remilia could bring youkai, shikigami, tengu, and others together for a party. Her charisma was near-unparalleled , and as Patchouli noticed when she entered the foyer, it was the main selling point for the vampire. Already she had amassed quite a following, her elegant pink and white dress glittering with every syllable that rolled off her tongue. When she smiled, the room and all of its occupants brightened up.

Even with the performing Prismriver Sisters playing their music in the distance, the vampire was the center of attention.

"Remi is in her element," Patchouli droned.

"She's a good host, yes?" Koakuma asked, curious.

"To many, yes," came a voice from nearby. A green-haired, red-eyed youkai in a red plaid waistcoat and skirt stepped out in front of the mage and devil. "I personally find these parties and her behavior tiresome. It's like a flower begging to have its fragrance beheld by all." The woman smiled. "I wonder… Does she host these parties for others to marvel at her splendor, or is she searching for pollination?"

Koakuma took a step back at the sight of the woman.

"Err… I'm s-sorry, who are you?"

"Yuuka Kazami," Patchouli answered. She bowed in greeting, as did Yuuka. "The flower youkai of the Garden of the Sun, I presume."

"You presume correctly. And you must be Miss Knowledge," Yuuka said with a small chuckle. "There are many in here that have been here before, but never in my lifetime have I seen the resident librarian step forth into this scarlet garden. My, how you've begun to blossom…" The flower youkai circled around the frail magician with her pleasant, if not eerie smile. "I believe in time your true beauty will become known to all, but the honor of experiencing it firsthand belongs to your dutiful gardener."

Patchouli knew about Yuuka Kazami and her love of flowers, even her metaphors relating to them. However, this one caught her off guard. The mage was a brilliant scholar and intellect, and not even she could decipher the metaphor. She placed a hand to her chin and looked off in thought. Yuuka took the opportunity to shoot a knowing smirk Koakuma's way, a gesture the devil blushed at.

"…Meiling?" Patchouli asked. She looked back at Yuuka for an explanation, but she found that she had wandered off into the crowd. "Hmm… What an enigmatic youkai. What do you think, Koakuma?"

"I… I think Yuuka-san is very frightening," Koakuma whispered.

"Mhmm, she has a reputation for that…"

The two looked to each other for a moment before shrugging. Putting aside Yuuka's strange greeting, the two stepped forward to get closer to Remilia. The vampire giggled amongst her crowd of guests and looked between them to see her friend. She beamed and stepped out from her circle to greet her, absentmindedly swirling a goblet of red liquid around in her hand. At first, Patchouli thought it was blood, but as she looked on, she saw that other guests had glasses filled with the same liquid.

"European red wine from your private reserves?" Patchouli asked with surprise. "Remi…"

"Oh hush, Patchy," Remilia chimed. "It's just cherry punch. Honest!" She lifted her goblet to the mage in good show. "This is a momentous occasion! A dear friend finally came to one of my parties." The vampire turned and grinned at a nearby guest. "As did the miko herself!"

Standing next to the vampire was an unimpressed-looking Reimu, the shrine maiden of Hakurei. She raised an eyebrow at Remilia's cheery, extravagant announcement and sipped from her punch. As the chief incident resolver of Gensokyo, she had much to tend to in her daily life. She was loyal to her shrine and her duties, and if she had it her way, she would be back sweeping dirt or gazing longingly into her empty donation box. Remilia managed to convince her to attend, stating that an incident resolver could prevent incidents in the first place by inspecting areas and being more observant.

That, and there was free food and drink in the mansion for the miko.

"You two are the guests of honor today, so enjoy yourselves!" Remilia waved her hand nonchalantly as she turned back to her guests. "If you need anything, be sure to let Sakuya know."

The mage and miko glanced over towards one of the grand doorways to the foyer to see a few banquet tables layered with food and decorations. A large glass bowl was the centerpiece of one, and it was filled with more of the liquid Remilia and the others were drinking. As the vampire had said, it seemed that the liquid was just ordinary cherry punch. She wouldn't waste her fine wine on anyone other than her most trusted of associates. A silver-haired maid in a blue and white uniform stood on a footstool above the bowl, busy pouring more of the mixture into it.

At the utterance of her name, the maid turned around and fixed her mistress with a tired yet attentive gaze. As the chief maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Sakuya had her hands full every hour of every day. She did everything from cooking and cleaning to organizing the fairies and tending to her mistress's requests. She also fought with expert skill utilizing her multiple knives. Her power over time and space made her the perfect maid, allowing her to tend to problems as soon as they arose. In a sense, she had all the time in the world to complete her duties yet so little of it to spend on herself.

Sakuya waved to the group before returning to her work, albeit without the usual enthusiasm.

"Has she… Has she had a rest at all?" Patchouli asked. She looked back at Remilia and frowned when she discovered that the vampire and her entourage had moved off towards the Prismriver sisters, leaving the three behind. "…Typical devil."

"Ooh..." Koakuma looked back at Reimu and bowed. "I… I apologize for Remilia-sama. S-she must be very busy."

The shrine maiden shrugged and moved off, not at all insulted. It seemed that she was used to be being ignored, or she just didn't let it bother her. Patchouli fixed her familiar with a cutting glare.

"Remilia Scarlet? Magnanimous?" Patchouli chuckled. "Please, Koakuma. You can be sympathetic and understanding, but don't be naïve."

"Y-yes, I'm sorry, Mistress," Koakuma squeaked.

Patchouli's gaze softened as she looked away. She knew her friend better than anyone else, even her sister. The vampire was very knowledgeable when it came to current events in Gensokyo, yet she chose to ignore most of it that either did not interest her or concern her. She also was very, very spoiled, used to having nearly everything handed to her on a silver platter. It took a true friend to see past the negatives within a person and hold onto the good, which was what Patchouli always did. Besides, without the vampire intruding in her daily life, all of her knowledge would hardly ever be put to the test.

"It's quite alright. Now, let's… What is the word I am looking for?"

"M-mingle, Mistress?" Koakuma offered.

"Yes, mingle is the word." Patchouli made a sour face. "The joys of social life."

Music and chatter continued to fill the foyer. Everywhere the two looked, people were enjoying themselves. They spoke amongst each other and laughed, eating and drinking all the while. Remilia's gatherings were not just an excuse for her to flaunt her wealth and status but rather an incentive to catch up on the latest gossip and news. Even the tengu reporter, Aya, was present, and her pen was going a mile a minute on her notepad as she tried to absorb everything she heard. The mage and devil were astounded. These gatherings were too enjoyable, too important to be marred by petty feuds or fights amongst youkai. Nobody wanted to cause too much trouble, lest the parties ceased.

As Patchouli moved about and looked around, she could count on one hand the number of guests present that she respected. Being bothered by her own shikigami and master was Ran Yakumo, a brilliant and overworked kitsune. She was old and wise, and a great mathematician who the mage had the pleasure of working with at one time. A lunar rabbit by the name of Reisen looked on with the same bemused look as Reimu. She too held Patchouli's respect, if only because she helped further Eientei's scientific and medical research without so much as a grumble.

Third on the mage's list was Reimu Hakurei herself. While Patchouli assumed the miko had no great love for science, literature, or alchemy, she was a shrewd diplomat and incident resolver as well as an impartial mediator. Finally, there was the renowned dollmaker, Alice Margatroid. She was wandering around nursing a plate of appetizers, her two personal dolls hovering nearby. A novice magician, she earned the librarian's respect by being polite, ambitious, and considerate. She even returned books that she borrowed, unlike some people.

Koakuma smiled at the sight of these people. As a servant, she hardly ever interacted with them unless they required assistance in Voile. If her mistress respected them, then she followed the example without question. The devil steered her mistress through the crowd to bring her closer to the punch bowl and food. She figured a full stomach and a few refreshments would make her more energetic, and given the mage's eagerness at moving about, she figured right.

Before the two could even get close to the banquet tables, a thought came to the mage that made her stop in her tracks. She glanced about, searching the faces before her.

"What's wrong, Mistress?" Koakuma asked, craning her neck.

"The miko and dollmaker are here," Patchouli observed. Her eyes narrowed. "Koakuma, do you understand what I am getting at?"

The devil blinked and nodded after a few seconds of thinking.

"Where... Where is the thief?"

"She may be here, or she may be sifting through Voile for more books to pilfer."

"I don't know, Mistress." Koakuma scratched her head. "Everyone here is surprised that you're even up here. She might think we're back in the library, and I don't think she would miss out on this party if she heard about it."

Patchouli opened her mouth to reply when a hand came down and clasped onto her shoulder. She cringed at the force and turned her head to look at the one responsible. Standing behind the pair dressed in an ordinary black and white witch's outfit was none other than Marisa Kirisame herself. The blonde girl wore a proud smirk as she looked down at the two, the brim of her hat casting a dark shadow over her normally bright yellow eyes. Where the librarian and dollmaker went, she was certain to be nearby.

"Talking about me behind my back?" she asked with an innocent tone.

"I wouldn't talk behind your back, Marisa," Patchouli droned. "That is what your face is for."

"Happy to see you too, Patchy," the girl replied.

Koakuma stared at Marisa's hand on Patchouli. Her mistress. While she had seen the witch lay her hands on her mistress before, this time was different. It felt much worse than the times before, almost as if someone was crushing her heart. Koakuma grimaced and reached up to brush Marisa's hand away. Doing so made the uneasiness in her stomach fade, but only slightly.

Patchouli huffed and dusted her shoulder. She did not like the thief for obvious reasons, but she also didn't go as far as to say that she hated her. Marisa was one of many humans who had caused trouble for her in her life, but her trifling paled in comparison to what other humans had done. The magician was just a minor inconvenience. Nothing more than that.

"Never thought I'd see you two up here. Left the library unguarded ya know."

"I-If you were planning to-"

"Relax," Marisa cooed. She giggled and opened her arms wide. "I came here to party, not to borrow. Besides, you being here is a good thing. I'm not going to ruin it." Marisa smiled and folded her arms. "I'll leave you alone if you'd like."

"...Really?" Patchouli asked with an incredulous gasp.

"Sure." The magician glanced over at Koakuma. "Unless you want me to stay and talk..."

Koakuma narrowed her eyes at the girl. Once again, that strange feeling crept up on her, but this time it came coupled with a sense of dread. She had a feeling Marisa was up to no good, and she hoped to keep her mistress out of it.

"I'd rather you not," Patchouli said.

"Well alright then," the girl replied. She gave a tip of her hat as she added, "Oh, you should try the punch."

She walked off to meld into the crowd, leaving Patchouli and her servant exchanging confused glances. Was that it? Both of them had expected an argument or some kind of snide comment, yet the troublesome girl had been reasonable. Patchouli figured that she was biding her time, waiting for the opportune moment to come back and cause a commotion. But then again, Marisa did not expect to see the frail mage, so perhaps she had nothing planned for her. With the likes of Reimu and Alice around, the mage could breathe a sigh of relief at knowing that she would be overlooked.

With no other problems being thrown their way, the pair decided to enjoy themselves, albeit in their own cautious way. They avoided groups that would bother them and tried to keep as close to the inner walls of the foyer as possible. Along the walls was the least amount of activity. Only near the food and punch bowl were there youkai. Anyone who was anyone could be found in the center of the room. They moved about like planets in orbit, gravitating around their Scarlet sun.

The Prismriver sisters continued to play their music far into the night. Patchouli did not listen to music very often in Voile, preferring the peace and quiet, but she and Koakuma both found the melodies played to be pleasant to the ear. The pair met up with Reisen and held an awkward conversation with her. As anti-social the lunar rabbit was, she, along with the rest of Eientei, was doing well. She wished the mage and familiar well. Alice did the same.

"It's wonderful to see you up here," the dollmaker said. "How do you feel?"

"Healthier than I have been years before." Patchouli gestured towards her familiar. "Koakuma has been ushering me out of the library every now and then for walks in the garden. I believe the exercise and fresh air have temporarily boosted my health." With a shrug, she added, "In spite of my stubbornness, Koakuma has taken exceptional care of me."

Koakuma blushed, embarrassed at such praise.

"Ah, well that's good to hear," Alice replied with a smile. As she turned to walk off, she glanced at the little devil. "Keep up the good work."

"Y-yes, I will!" Koakuma squeaked.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly enough. Yukari and Marisa caused a few distractions here and there, the crow tengu had her weekly report, and the Scarlet vampire was the life of the party. She tried to get Patchouli and the shrine maiden involved in her conversations, but the two always managed to make themselves scarce. There were a few awkward situations thrown the mage's way, but with Koakuma at her side, Patchouli managed to talk herself out of them. She had talked more today than she did in an entire week, and it showed.

"K-Koakuma," she wheezed.

"Are you alright, Mistress?" Koakuma asked. She hovered close, concerned. "Should we retire?"

"No no, I'm fine. I could use a drink for my dry throat, though."

Koakuma nodded and went off to carry out her mistress's task. Everywhere she looked, things were going smoothly. People were having a good time, Marisa wasn't too much of a bother, and Patchouli was trying to be social. Yet despite all of this, Koakuma couldn't help but think that something had gone awry. She was not pessimistic, only observant of the strange feeling in her gut. It lingered as she scooped out a bit of punch for her mistress. She shook it aside as she returned with a glass.

Patchouli took a sip of the red liquid and widened her eyes. Besides the fruitiness of the drink, there was a sharp taste to it all that made the mage wonder. The punch was just a combination of carbonated water, fizzy drink mix, and cherry flavoring, but even that wasn't enough for the taste to be interesting. She figured it was the cold's bite that took her by surprise, and she found that she enjoyed it. After downing her drink, she gave it back to her familiar.

"C-could you get me another glass?" Patchouli asked tentatively.

"But of course."

As Koakuma went back, she noticed a few of the party guests seemed different. They were more jovial and carefree, although they did seem to be less patient and more clumsy. Alice stumbled over her feet and had to have her dolls support her while Chen hugged Ran's many tails for dear life. Koakuma figured they were tired, as the party had been going on for a few hours. Yet, some people, like Reisen, were becoming more active and social. The devil could not explain that.

She returned to her mistress only to find the mage with a sheepish smile on her face as well as a small blush.

"Oh, there you are," Patchouli said. She reached out to take her glass of punch. "Y-you didn't get yourself a glass?"

"I'm not thirsty," Koakuma replied.

"I see." Patchouli a sip from her punch. She gestured towards the entryway of the mansion. "You know... That guard out there... W-what was her name again?"

Koakuma raised a eyebrow, perplexed that her mistress couldn't recall the name of the guard.

"Hong... Hong Meiling?"

"Oh right! Silly me..." Patchouli chuckled. She leaned close to her familiar. "Would you like to hear a secret?"

"C-certainly, Mistress!" Koakuma replied.

"I like her," Patchouli drawled. "She's been living for... such a long time... Yet she is not cynical as I would have expected! She remains v-very optimistic." After gulping down the rest of her drink, she added, "Oblivious, yet optimistic..."

Koakuma took her mistress's empty glass with a nervous look. She wondered why Patchouli was acting like this, but before she could ask, the mage narrowed her eyes and frowned.

"Don't tell anyone that... that I said that."

"I wouldn't disrespect your wishes, Mistress," Koakuma squeaked.

"Good. Hmm... I heard that there was sushi at the table," Patchouli mumbled. She waved her hand. "G-go and bring me a few pieces if you find anything, but tend to yourself for a moment first..."

The devil nodded.

"Okay, Patchouli-sama."

Patchouli watched her familiar leave before rubbing her temples. She wondered why she had said so much just now, and without the usual reserved tone. The social environment must have drawn out her talkative side. Yet how did that account for the dizzy feeling in her head? Shaking her head, Patchouli turned away and walked off. She figured she was either tired or her illnesses were emerging again.

As she looked about, she noticed something small and bright leaning up against the foyer's western exit to Voile. On closer inspection, Patchouli discovered it was a book. Her interest piqued, she set a course for the object, miffed that someone had left it out in such an open area. She ignored the now unladylike bickering and ramblings between Remilia and Reimu as she approached. When she picked up the book, she found a few more scattered about in a trail a fair distance away, leading her away from the foyer.

Curious and unaware, the mage picked up the trail of books to the best of her abilities. Soon her arms were filled with a pile of books a foot high. She stumbled against a wall and giggled, more so from finding books than her lightheadedness. The books were large and valuable, and more importantly, Patchouli had seen them before. It was always good to have books returned, good enough to overlook the past owner's poor act of returning them.

She looked up and blinked twice. In her haste to pick up the books, she had gotten carried away and lost her direction. As far as she could see were corridors of identical size and decoration. She looked about for more books, but to her dismay, there were no more than the ones she carried in her arms. Not even the sounds of the foyer carried down to direct her. She was lost in the mansion she called home.

"Oh... Oh dear," she mumbled. She set her stack of books down and called out. "Sakuya? Remilia? K-Koakuma?"

"Hey there, Patchy..."

Patchouli turned around and discovered Marisa in the center of the corridor a few feet away. Her wide-brimmed hat was not on her person, allowing the mage to see her disheveled hair and coy look.

"What are you doing here, hmm?" Marisa asked.

"Marisa... I... I found some books and, well..." Patchouli fumbled for words as the girl came closer. "I g-got lost. I don't know how to get back to the foyer."

"The foyer? What's there in the foyer?"

"Remilia's party of course," Patchouli replied, somewhat unsure of her words.

"Now, why would you go back to the foyer with all those people when you could stay here with me?" Marisa approached the mage and pushed her back into a wall. She placed a hand next to her head and leaned in with a smirk. "We're both good friends, and we got this part of the mansion all to ourselves... What do you say we keep each other company?"

There was an odor on Marisa's breath that made Patchouli wince. She could also sense it on her own breath.

"We are not f-friends."

"But we're not enemies either. More like acquaintances, right?" When Patchouli did not answer, Marisa leaned in closer. She breathed on the mage's neck and cooed, "What do you say we... Get better acquainted?"

Patchouli felt a blush intensify upon her cheeks. She was confused as to what Marisa wanted from her, but her body seemed to understand. It wanted this contact, this warmth. Patchouli, however, did not. The gears in her clouded mind where rusted by intoxication, but they were still turning. The thief needed to get away.

"N-no, Marisa..."

"Hmm? You say something?"

"I d-don't... Let me leave..."

Marisa kissed Patchouli's neck, making her gasp.

"Come on... I promise I'll make you feel good..."

The girl continued to kiss the mage's neck, making her writhe under her lips. With her frail body and pitiful strength, Patchouli was helpless. She could not even rely on her magic, for her clouded mind made it near impossible to recite anything. Quivering, she watched as Marisa neared her lips. Just before they touched, a hand came down on the thief's shoulder and pulled her away.

There with fire in her eyes was the little devil.

"What do you think you're doing?" Koakuma looked over at Patchouli. "Mistress, are you alright?"

Marisa struggled and pushed Koakuma away and down to the floor. The echo of her impact carried far down the corridors. She recovered and got back to her feet with a wince, but decided against any further movement. A small elemental furnace was pointed her way, its power infamous for obliterating youkai. Marisa hiccuped, steadied her aim, and then growled.

"Who the hell are you?"

"P-Patchouli-sama's servant," Koakuma stuttered, her voice faltering.

"Koakuma?" Patchouli mewed as she looked on.

"This doesn't concern you, devil," Marisa said. She gestured down the corridor. "Why don't you... Why don't you scuttle back home?"

Koakuma balled her hands into fists. She knew what Marisa was capable of as well as the device in her hand. During the Scarlet mist incident, the little devil had been defeated by her master spark when she tried to protect her mistress. The memory brought forth a wave of shame, as she had failed and allowed her mistress to get hurt. But with shame came determination. Koakuma was not going to let Marisa hurt her mistress again.

"Anything that you do to my mistress concerns me, thief," Koakuma muttered. She took a step forward. "You're not going to hurt her again!"

"I'm not going to hurt her," Marisa replied. "Just have a little fun."

"You're not going to steal from her either." Marisa opened her mouth to reply when Koakuma cut her off. "D-don't play dumb with me. I don't know what's gotten into you or my mistress, but you're not doing anything with her as long as I'm alive. So if you're that desperate and addled, and you really want my mistress, you'll have to get through me first, and trust me when I say that I won't hold back."

Koakuma felt invigorated at her boast of determination and loyalty. She had made her point across, and she meant everything she said. Marisa stared past the devil, who thought she was deep in thought. Trembling, the girl took a few steps back and raised her hands in defense. Before Koakuma could reconcile with her, she turned and ran off, stumbling over her feet as she did.

Scratching her head, Koakuma watched her disappear before tending to her mistress.

"Mistress? Are you alright?" she asked again.

"I'm as f-fine as I am dandy," Patchouli squeaked as she staggered away from the wall.

Her familiar caught her in her arms and sighed.

"Come on, Patchouli-sama. I'll bring you back to Voile."

"B-but-"

"No buts. You need your rest, especially after what just happened."

Patchouli huffed and pouted, but she did not resist. She held onto her familiar and took uneasy steps down the hall with her, knowing that Koakuma would take good care of her and return her to her room. Her mind was clouded with intoxication and vague thoughts, all of which she hoped to decipher when she could think clearly. But that was best left for the next day. In her state, she did not see the nervous expression on Koakuma's face, nor did she stop to think about Remilia's party and the broader consequences of the night.

As the two left, a scarlet-eyed creature gave a fanged smile and shrank back into the shadows of the corridor...

Chapter 7: The Unwelcome Urge

---

The mage and devil staggered down the hallways of the mansion with the noise and commotion of the dying party echoing behind them. It was supposed to be a wonderful, if not uneventful outing, but things had taken a turn for the worse. Somehow, Patchouli Knowledge had become intoxicated during the party's events and had stumbled off by her lonesome. Lost and confused, she had been confronted by an equally intoxicated and promiscuous Marisa before Koakuma managed to drive her off. The devil was relieved, but as she went along, she realized her work was far from over.

"Watch your step, Mistress," Koakuma whispered.

"Yes, yes, of course," Patchouli grumbled, her steps awkward and uneasy. "C-curse this mansion and its... its hallways. Remilia should have stayed with her family, but nooo... Helsing this, Romania that..."

"Mmhm."

"Can you believe that vampire? 'Bring the mansion t-to a safe place,' she said. 'The library is yours,' she said." Patchouli hiccupped. "'It'll be fun,' she said!"

Listening to her mistress's rambling did nothing to distract the devil from her thoughts. She did not like this current situation one bit. Having to go to a party and be subjected to the problems and conversations of Gensokyo's residents was one thing, but having Marisa go after her mistress was unacceptable. Koakuma would rather have the thief raid an entire bookshelf instead. She had a good idea of what the girl was trying to do, and although she knew Marisa was just as intoxicated as her mistress, it did not take away the weight of the outrage. No-one deserved to have that happen to them without consent.

As the two reached the stairs down to Voile, Koakuma managed to catch the scent on her mistress's breath. Alcohol, most likely from sake. The party had no alcoholic beverages and Koakuma did not see a bottle in her mistress's hands, but she knew that she was drunk. Unless the mage had decided to take several shots behind her back, Koakuma figured the punch bowl had been spiked with alcohol. She was still unsure, so she would aspire to ask her mistress when she was herself again.

What a fool she had been. When her gut had told her of something gone awry, she did not pay as much heed to it as she should have. Instead, she handed her mistress the materials to become intoxicated and chose to leave her when asked, even when she wanted to stay at her side. If she had stayed with her, this never would have happened. Koakuma gritted her teeth and cursed herself for her negligence.

The two took their time descending the stairs to Voile. Koakuma held Patchouli's arm and did her best to see that she did not stumble and suffer a fall. The poor mage was barely aware of what was happening around her and had only the foggiest idea of where she was. She was helpless in her current state, no better off than a drunkard after a bad day. Marisa had gone after her like a beast, and Patchouli was powerless to resist.

Helpless. Powerless. Vulnerable.

Those three words echoed through Koakuma's head. Her mistress, the magician of knowledge and shadow, was helpless. If her skills were inhibited, then her power was nonexistent. If she could not utilize her mana, then she was vulnerable. Koakuma felt her stomach make a flip at that fact. It made her uneasy, but yet, there was something about it that excited her.

She looked down at Patchouli as she helped direct her off the stairs and to her quarters. The poor mage was holding onto the devil as if she were a life-line. A small smile worked its way onto the devil's face. She thought the mage looked cute when she grasped onto her. Such delicate, small hands... Easily grasped and constrained...

Koakuma helped Patchouli into her room, ignoring her incoherent mumbling. Such a lovely, sweet voice. The devil wondered what she sounded like when raised a few octaves. A blush crept into her cheeks when she imagined her mistress shrieking, mewing, and moaning. Just where were these thoughts coming from, she wondered. It was a bad idea to fantasize about those she could not have, and her mistress was off-limits to all.

But yet, the thoughts persisted.

"Ugh," Patchouli grunted as she began to climb into her bed at Koakuma's prodding.

"M-mistress... Shouldn't you... Disrobe?"

"To blazes with it. Too tired, and my motor skills... won't p-permit it."

Koakuma watched as Patchouli raised herself onto her bed and looked for her pillow. The way her mistress replied to her suggestion would have stopped her in her tracks any other day, but not so today. Surprising herself, Koakuma reached forward and grasped Patchouli's shoulders. She focused on the purple robes under her hands and shuddered. She wanted to assist her mistress, but more than that, she wanted to know what laid beneath those robes. As she began to tug at them, she heard her mistress gasp.

"Koakuma?" She squirmed in a vain attempt at getting away. "I... I appreciate the thought, b-but please, leave me be."

Two short tugs was the response. Koakuma grunted as she forced the robes open. Pale, pristine skin laid beneath. A purple bra preserved the mage's modesty as well as a pair of purple and white pajama bottoms. Patchouli eeped in surprise as Koakuma pushed her over to lie on her back. She took in her body's sight. The devil's hands were cold and greedy when they used to be warm and caring.

Koakuma smiled as she ran her fingers over Patchouli's uncovered stomach. She knew that her mistress did not want this, but perhaps she would in time. The poor thing was so vulnerable that it made Koakuma want to protect her, yet at the same time, it made her want to do something else. Marisa was right to act like a beast. Beasts did not go after strong creatures but rather the weak and ill. Patchouli, in a sense, was easy prey.

"Aren't you beautiful, mistress," the succubus cooed.

"N-nuuu, what are you d-doing?" Patchouli grumbled. She raised her hands to push her familiar away. "Stop it..."

In a fog, Koakuma brushed aside her mistress's hands with her slim, devilish tail. She was not thinking clearly, if at all. It would be such a shame to let the mage sleep when she could be of use now. A hunger was building within the succubus, and it needed to be sated. Now.

"Shh... Don't worry, Mistress," Koakuma said. She crawled forward onto the bed and moved on top of Patchouli. "I'll make you feel good..."

"W-what?!" Patchouli hiccupped and raised her hands again, but Koakuma grabbed her wrists and placed them above her head. "Ah! Koakuma, I order you to s-stop this!"

"So helpless... So tempting..."

The devil's free hand drifted over to cup a covered breast. A good, average size, she thought over the mage's whimpers. She massaged the area around it, kneading the skin and rubbing her fingers over the purple bra. Soon, she decided she wanted more to see. With her grip on her mistress staying firm, Koakuma reached for the center strap and pulled up. Patchouli winced as she felt the strap cut into her back before snapping in two.

Koakuma held the bra in her hand like a trophy. She sniffed the fabric for a few seconds and blushed deeper before tossing it over her shoulder. Even when half-naked her mistress was beautiful. She looked even more vulnerable than before, which pleased the devil. Koakuma braced for the squirming as she groped the chest once again, no longer inhibited by synthetic coverings. Such a succulent chest, although not as grand as mine, she thought with a lewd grin.

"Stop! Koakuma!" Patchouli groaned and shook her head. "G-get off me!"

"You may not want this, but your body does," Koakuma said with a giggle. "Doesn't it?"

Despite the mage's protests, the devil was right. Her body was enjoying this, if the blush and beating heart were any indication. But yet, Patchouli held firm. She thrashed, squirmed, and did anything she could in her intoxicated state to get away, but it was all in vain. Helpless and weak, all she could do was writhe as Koakuma ran her fingers over her body. The most she could do was continue her pleas, but Koakuma had long since drowned out her mistress's words.

After enough fondling had transpired, Koakuma's hand drifted down to grip Patchouli's pajama bottoms. She winked and chuckled before pushing them down to reveal the panties that laid beneath. Her tail twitched in anticipation as she reached for them.

"N-no, not there," Patchouli cried. "Please, no..."

"Relax, it'll all be over soon," Koakuma whispered in Patchouli's ear.

Her slick, pointed tail poked and prodded at the exposed skin. Koakuma shivered as she made her tail brush against Patchouli's breasts. Unbeknownst to many, the tail of a succubus was very sensible. She dug her fingers between Patchouli's panties and her thigh and pulled down. Licking her lips, the devil made her tail slither down over her mistress's thigh towards the sensitive flesh.

By now, the once proud and powerful magician was sniveling, her eyes clouded with tears of betrayal. She looked up at her familiar and begged as the tail prodded at her most private sanctum.

"P-please... Don't do this..."

Koakuma looked down at her helpless mistress and pecked her nose. Her tail squirmed for a moment before sliding-

---

"Mistress!"

Red eyes opened in the darkness as Koakuma shot up from her bed. Panicking, she flicked on an oil lamp on a nearby end table and looked about. The light reached out and illuminated every corner of her small personal quarters. She checked herself over, finding that she was dressed in her nightgown. She had been sweating in the night, as the flame from the lamp made her body sheen. Her chest heaved with every ragged breath.

She had been sleeping, she realized as she tried to calm her beating heart. Was it all just a dream? The party, the encounter with Marisa, and the stumbling walk back... That seemed real, but the events after that made Koakuma's blood curdle. She had been observing her mistress too closely and was having strange and perverse thoughts when something took hold of her. The disobedience she had showed was unacceptable, but worse than that, she had violated her mistress.

The devil sagged forward and pressed her hands to her face. Gods, how she hoped that it was nothing more than a bad dream. She felt tears prick her eyes and shook her head. It was just a dream, she told herself over and over again. Never in her life would she even entertain the idea of doing anything sexual to her mistress, she believed. She was a strong creature. Despite her self-assurances, she couldn't help but doubt herself. And aside from that, she couldn't help but notice the lump lying next to her in the bed.

Koakuma looked down on the covered lump with fear and apprehension. She shook her head and silently begged the gods that it wasn't what she thought it was. When she uncovered it, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was nothing but a sweaty pillow, most likely one that the devil had been pressed up against in her sleep. But it begged the question as to Patchouli's whereabouts. Was she in her own quarters, or was she nearby?

After a fretful few minutes of searching, the nervous devil fell back to her bed and drew her legs in close to her chest. Her mistress was not nearby. She was in her own quarters, sleeping safe and sound. It was just a dream, yet it felt so real for the devil. Every detail, every word was vivid in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

"P-Patchouli-sama..."

She sobbed herself back to sleep, the image of Patchouli crying and writhing under her burned in her mind.

Chapter 8: Dismal Debriefing

---

When Koakuma awoke the next morning, she found herself dreading stepping out from her quarters. The dream from the night before was still vivid in her mind, and she doubted she would ever be rid of the visions. She took comfort in knowing that it was just a dream, but dreams were more than they seemed. Depending on who the devil spoke with, dreams could be nothing more than idle, meaningless visions or glimpses into the soul. Perhaps even a hint of things to come, but not even Koakuma was that pessimistic. Regardless, she didn't want to see her mistress right away, but as Patchouli's familiar, it was her duty to assist in any way she could.

The devil smoothed out her dress, tightened her tie, put on a determined mask and stepped out into the library.

She wandered about the library at first before heading towards the central chamber. Doing so allowed her to collect her thoughts and prepare herself for the eventual encounter with her mistress. Lewd thoughts and urges had hit her before in the past, but they were rare, simple enough and easily taken care of. She couldn't bear speaking to her mistress about her urges for fear of burdening her, so she never brought up the subject. Why was it now that the urges had arisen again, and with such terrifying strings attached? Why was Patchouli the target? Was it because the mage was paying closer attention to her?

Koakuma shook her head at the thought. Surely that wasn't the case as Patchouli had always been there for her. Yet, Koakuma couldn't help but think otherwise. For some time, the mage had been friendlier, more open, and much more appreciative than she used to be. She even included her in her weekly tea breaks! Sitting down with a nice warm beverage in hand to discuss literature and current happenings as near-equals was a rare thing, and Koakuma treasured it all. She loved spending time with her mistress, and she was certain she felt the same way, even if she didn't show it.

The sound of bubbling and coughing bounced off from the bookshelves and forced Koakuma out of her thoughts. She picked up her pace and stepped out into the central chamber to see her mistress at a large table filled with potion brewing stands, burners, boilers, vials of every shape and size, and the like. The mage was busy grinding up a few leaves with a pestle and mortar, her back turned to her familiar. From what Koakuma could tell, she had been up for some time, if the new and strange potions off to the side were any indication.

Upon hearing the soft footsteps of her familiar, Patchouli turned around and fixed her with a bespectacled gaze. The librarian hardly ever wore glasses unless her condition worsened or her mana pool was exhausted, for her eyesight when not enhanced by magic was poor as a result of countless years of reading in poor lighting. The thin spectacles were perched on the tip of the frail woman's nose, and she did well to push them back up. It seemed that yesterday's intoxication had worn off quickly enough. She coughed once and beckoned for Koakuma.

"So, you finally awake," she mumbled.

Light drifted in from a few grand windows at the ends of the library. Koakuma figured that it was near the afternoon, and that she had slept in. She bowed her head in shame.

"Y-yes, forgive me, Mistress."

"There is nothing to forgive," Patchouli replied. When Koakuma looked up at her in surprise, she continued. "You deserved your rest after what I put you through. I checked on you earlier and discovered that you seemed troubled. Are you completely rested?"

Koakuma was taken aback. Her mistress had made the trip to her quarters just to check up on her despite her post-intoxicated state. How thoughtful of her, Koakuma thought with a small blush. She clasped her hands behind her back and looked down at the ground.

"Somewhat... I, uh... I had a b-bad dream," the devil stammered.

"A bad dream?" Patchouli repeated. She stopped grinding leaves for a moment. "Well, whatever it was about, take relief in knowing that it was just a dream, Koakuma. The events that take place in the subconscious very rarely come to pass in reality. Such is the hard truth of wishful thinking..."

"Sorry to interrupt, Mistress, but... what exactly happened last night?"

Patchouli stared at her familiar and tilted her head.

"Were you intoxicated as well?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I remember helping you to your quarters... but that was it," Koakuma lied.

She didn't dare tell her mistress anything else about her dream. Her memory of the night before connected seamlessly with her dream, and she had no idea when reality ended and the nightmare began. Her hope rested with her mistress.

"While I would enjoy giving you a full account of the night's events, the alcohol I consumed has left my memory scattered and foggy." Patchouli rubbed her temples. "I remember that the evening was pleasant until I began to drink. I have come to the conclusion that Marisa Kirisame had... 'spiked' the punchbowl with sake, most likely stolen from that oni that resides at the Hakurei shrine. After my encounter with the thief, which I remember you helped me out of, you guided me back to Voile and deposited me in my room." The mage shrugged and looked down to pick at the leaves in her mortar. "I can only assume you went off to sleep in your quarters after that."

"So it really was a dream," Koakuma whispered to herself. "Thank the gods..."

"Hmm? Did you say something, Koakuma?" Patchouli asked as she looked up again.

"N-nothing, Mistress."

"Well, if that's the case, you will assist me now. Come here."

The devil nodded and stood at her mistress's side. She noticed a few beakers and vials filled with a vicious, bubbling liquid and hovered her hand near them. An intense heat was radiating from them, if the steam rising from the tops was any indication. Koakuma reeled her hand back and rubbed it for a moment before Patchouli shoved a clean mortar into it. The mage sprinkled a few blue leaves into the bowl and poured water over the top.

"Grind this into a fine paste," she said as she turned back to her boiling vials.

"Yes Ma'am." Koakuma took a pestle and began to work. She smashed a few leaves before looking up at her mistress. "Mistress, what exactly... I mean, are you feeling well today? You're wearing glasses..."

Patchouli hesitated for a moment. She reached up to take off her glasses and clean them with a handful of her robes before returning them atop her nose.

"I have exhausted my supply of mana, Koakuma. Upon waking, my senses were bombarded by what we refer to it as the hangover effect." The mage shook her head. "In my post-intoxicated state, and in my haste to rid myself of it, I purged my body with a spell, but I used more mana than what was necessary. As a consequence, my mana reserves have been depleted."

"And your eyesight faltered as a result."

"Precisely."

Koakuma nodded, understanding. A lifetime of being sick had made the mage intolerant of any further illnesses and adverse effects. She could only deal with so many at a time, after all. For her, losing the power to incite spells was an acceptable trade-off for sobriety. Though this was a quick-fix, in the long run the loss of mana may not bode well. Patchouli Knowledge was just as vulnerable as she was when drunk, only now she could think clearly again.

Wincing, Koakuma turned away from her mistress. She did not want to think about how weak Patchouli was, lest the dream resurface in her mind. She was still conflicted over what she had seen, and she doubted she would ever be rid of it soon. Instead of burdening herself further, the familiar pushed the thought into the depths of her mind and focused on the task at hand. When she looked down at her mortar, she saw that she had ground the leaves into a blue, watery paste. Satisfied, she turned back to her mistress and presented her efforts.

"Here you are Patchouli-sama!"

"Good. Now, pour the contents into this container here," Patchouli said as she pointed to a prepared beaker atop a lit flame.

"May I ask what you are doing?" Koakuma asked as she did what she was told.

"Given that Marisa had spiked the punchbowl and nearly every guest became intoxicated as a result, Remilia has asked that I prepare a sobering brew in case this happens again." Patchouli tapped a bubbling beaker before moving about the table to consult an open journal. "So far, I am recording no problems. Crushed blue barnum leaves work very well as a detoxifying agent."

Adventuring out and taking walks through the garden had given the mage more than enough materials to work with. That coupled with the knowledge of herbs and plants let her know what to use and what to leave alone. Patchouli turned back to her familiar and opened her mouth to say something when she noticed the sudden appearance of the chief maid. Given her affinity for time manipulation, the maid had a knack for appearing wherever she was needed. It was an unnerving thought that a person could be anywhere at any given time, but Patchouli paid it no mind.

She stared at the small, dark bags under Sakuya's eyes for a moment. Remilia's party took a long time to prepare, and no doubt after Marisa's shenanigans, it took awhile to get things back to normal in the foyer. Who else was qualified to clean up after everyone's mess but the chief maid herself? Patchouli pitied the maid. Sakuya was very involved with the mansion's goings-on, and yet at the same time, she wasn't. She was not allowed to rest and enjoy herself at the party, and after everyone went home in a drunken stupor, she was left to clean it up.

"Patchouli-sama," the silver-haired maid said as she bowed. "Are you feeling well?"

"Well enough," Patchouli replied. Her gaze drifted down to a manila letter in the maid's hand. "Is that for me?"

"Y-yes, it was left this morning with the gatekeeper." Sakuya handed the letter off to Patchouli. "It's from Marisa Kirisame."

Koakuma could feel Patchouli's uneasiness from so close by, yet the mage did nothing to show it. She watched the exchange with an attentive glare before looking at Sakuya. Where Patchouli pitied the maid, the devil sympathized with her. She knew what it was like to be a servant and all of the trials she was required to go through. However, her mistress was a reasonable, solitary creature, whereas Sakuya's was the opposite. Yet despite this difference in difficulty, Koakuma and Sakuya were good friends, showing that servants stuck together.

Patchouli tore open the letter and skimmed over it before sighing.

"It is a letter of apology... and a rather poor one. There are multiple grammar issues, she failed to punctuate properly, and she misspelled 'generosity'."

"Marisa-san apologized?" Koakuma blinked. "That seems... out of character for her."

"On the contrary, it fits her character perfectly," Patchouli replied. "She is too proud to apologize, and if she did, she would do it in the most impersonal manner possible. I'm glad to see that she still thinks of me as a 'friend', despite the fact we are anything but..." She looked back at Sakuya and nodded in gratitude. "Thank you for bringing this to me. Is there anything else you wish to bring to my attention?"

"Yes... Lady Remilia would like to know if you are finished with her request."

"Finished? I've only started brewing. The process will take four days at most. A day to add the ingredients, two days to ferment, and another day to refine." Patchouli put Marisa's letter away in a pocket of her robes. She made a motion of shooing Sakuya away. "Give her some blood and tell her to rest. And that goes the same for you."

Sakuya raised her eyebrows.

"C-come again?"

"You're no good to that vampire if you continue to push yourself. Take care of yourself after tending to her." Patchouli turned back to her brewing stands and adjusted the temperatures on the burners. "I'm certain even she would understand your need for rest and relaxation given all you've done. If she does not, then I will speak to her on your behalf."

"Err... Thank you, Patchouli-sama," Sakuya replied with a small, embarrassed blush.

"Think nothing of it." The mage continued to prod her beakers before glancing at Sakuya once more. "Are you staying or going?"

The maid tensed up, bowed, and soon disappeared, leaving Koakuma looking on with an attentive, thoughtful expression. As much as it pained her to think so, her uneasiness with her mistress would not be alleviated without outside help. Leaving a succubus to tend to her own urges was as sensible as keeping a fox and hen together. She could not turn to Meiling. The guard was a good listener, but she was hardly awake. Flandre was a dangerous choice, and she would not understand Koakuma's problem at all. If the devil wanted to sign her life away, she would speak to Remilia, and if she wanted to make her life more miserable, she could always speak to her mistress.

Sakuya was the best choice. She always listened with her full attention, her advice was spot-on, and as a servant, she would be happy to assist the librarian's familiar. Plus, with her relation to Remilia, perhaps she might understand Koakuma's uneasiness with her own mistress. It was a longshot, but Koakuma had no other options. She decided she would seek out the maid at the right time and drive her problems into the ground.

"Loyal to a fault, that one," Patchouli grumbled.

"Not to mention elegant and kind," Koakuma commented. She took the initiative with her mistress by cleaning up unnecessary supplies around her workstation. "Remilia-sama is lucky to have such a dedicated maid!"

There was a bit of silence after Koakuma said those words. Concerned, she looked over at her mistress only to find the mage's gaze was fixed on her. Slowly, a smile spread across her lips. Such a rare and beautiful smile, Koakuma thought in awe. She felt her heart beat in temptation. This was what she worked for, to see her mistress happy and healthy.

"As am I to have a dedicated servant," Patchouli said.

Koakuma wanted to take in everything about her mistress's smile. She wanted to frame it in a picture, to commemorate it forever. Perhaps even feel the smile against her lips... But it was not to be for long. As the devil looked on, she was reminded of her dream. She saw the smile turn into a pained grimace born from betrayal. She saw bright eyes flooded with tears. She heard gentle coos turn into screams of anguish. The devil turned away to hide her shame.

"You... You are too kind, Mistress..."

Patchouli's face fell.

"Oh? Is there something the matter?" She tilted her head and took a step forward. "Koakuma, if there is something you wish to discuss, you can always talk to me."

Speaking her mind would only get the devil in trouble. She wanted to believe that confessing would solve her problems, and in many ways it might, but seeing a horrified look on her mistress would tear her apart. Instead of lying, she chose to speak of something different. Alchemy, enchantments, literature, whatever that could keep Patchouli from figuring out the devil's problem. Unfortunately, Koakuma picked a rather hot topic...

"Yes... Uh... I w-was wondering about what Marisa was doing with you yesterday..."

Patchouli frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"Hmph... Well, from what I could tell, the magician was trying to excite me. She did not account for my presence, but like the opportunist she was, I believe she led me out of the party with books. When we were out of the way, she decided to press her luck by... molesting me." Patchouli folded her arms. "Perhaps she hoped she would bed me and leave me in a wanting state, thus allowing her to steal from me without the usual opposition."

Koakuma blanched at that.

"C-could you ever forgive her if she did that to you?"

"Well... It is easier to forgive than it is to ask for permission, so... Absolutely not," Patchouli grumbled. "Had she done so, I would have flayed the magician alive the next we met. I only put up with her because of her friendship with the miko, and because she can be useful." The mage chuckled and returned to her brewing. "If a rat can be led through a maze, it can be manipulated. I would rather burn my own books than be betrayed and violated..."

An uncomfortable silence filled the library. Confused, Patchouli looked back up at Koakuma.

"Why do you ask?"

"I... I..." Koakuma fidgeted and took a step back. "I was j-just curious... I should go... do something..."

"Bring me a dozen buckets of water when you return, Koakuma," Patchouli called out as she watched her familiar take off down the library.

But Koakuma was too ashamed, too unnerved to listen. All she could think about was how desperately she wanted to speak with Sakuya and end this madness...

Chapter 9-1: A Servant's Sympathy

---

The days passed in the mansion at a slow and agonizing pace, at least to those who had troubles on their already troubled minds. Koakuma tried to keep her distance from her mistress, but with the sobering brew demanding much of the mage's time, she was called upon again and again to assist. Her mannerisms became meek and pathetic in Patchouli's presence, and her words lacked the usual weight they once carried. Still she was plagued by the dream and lewd thoughts. The only bright side to her ordeal was that Patchouli seemed completely unaware of it all with her potions and mana regeneration diverting her attention.

So many potions, so little time. Everyone in the mansion was busy in the days following the incident at the party, and not just Koakuma and the librarian. After Remilia recovered from her embarrassment and intoxication, she sent Sakuya out into Gensokyo with letters of apology, swearing that her parties would not fall victim to childish antics ever again. She could not afford to have the Scarlet name become marred even further. She could afford to exhaust her servants, however, which did not bode well for Sakuya.

The maid hardly had a minute to herself with her mistress breathing down her back. She did come down to Voile at times to check-up on the resident librarian, but her duties for the week were restricted to healing the scars in the mansion's foyer and being the messenger for Remilia's apology letters. Koakuma managed to catch her attention one day and begged for her ear whenever she had a free moment. It pained the devil to ask anything of the maid, knowing that she was potentially robbing her of her free time, but there was no other that she could turn to. But until either of them came across a lull in their work, they could not take a chance speaking with each other.

It wasn't until Friday that the lull came to the librarian and devil. With the potions completed and stored away for a rainy day, they both had a day to themselves to do as they wished. There would be no party to bother them, for Remilia was wise not to press her luck so soon after the last one. She and her personal maid would take it easy for once in a blue moon, as would all the guests of the last party. For those in the mansion, it was an uneventful Friday.

But an uneventful Friday does not make for a good story now, does it?

---

Koakuma felt terrible that she had forgone the tea break with her mistress. Every Friday they would sit down for tea, she remembered. They had been doing so for nearly a year together, and it seemed that great strides were being taken to close the distance between each other in that time. Interests were discussed, plans were made, and company was savored. As much as Koakuma wanted to act like nothing was wrong and carry on with her life, sooner or later a crisis would arise. For her mistress's sake, the devil would see to it that she was unavailable to her on this day.

She slinked through the library, careful to give the central chamber a wide berth. If Patchouli was there, and Koakuma had no doubt that she was, the slightest sound would arouse her suspicion. Her flight silent and mindful, Koakuma soon touched down in a darker and more congested area of Voile. Given that it was far away from the central chamber and it was filled with large, muffling tomes, whatever sounds would die out before they reached the librarian's ears. With an oil lamp to guide her path, the little devil made her way down a neglected aisle, all too wary of her footsteps and surroundings.

"Sakuya-san?" she squeaked. She glanced about, hoping to catch a glimpse of silver hair in the distance. "Are you here? Oh, please be here..."

A tiny light flickered on a reading table in the distance. As Koakuma approached, she could see a silver serving tray with two cups of tea resting near another oil lamp. Without a doubt, the only silver serving tray belonged to the human maid, but her presence was not accounted for. The devil looked around the table for the maid and found nothing but two dusty chairs, one of which looked as if it had been recently used. She turned off her lamp and looked out into the darkness.

"Sakuya-san, it's just me," she said.

"Perhaps I was... overly cautious," came the response. The elegant maid of the mansion stepped out of the shadows with an apologetic look. "Forgive me. Your light steps made me believe that your mistress was approaching." Sakuya approached Koakuma and looked down the aisles before gesturing to the chairs. "Come and sit. We can talk privately here."

Koakuma sat down at the table across from the maid. From the lack of shadows under Sakuya's eyes, the devil assumed she had gotten the rest she deserved. While she could theoretically stop time and take a breather, relying too much on her power would put tremendous strain on her body in the same way that inciting spells would tire out Patchouli. If it weren't for me, Koakuma thought, the maid would be enjoying her well-deserved rest without interruption.

"I'm... I'm so glad you came," Koakuma said. "I'm sorry; I know you could use your rest, but I have no-one else to turn to."

"No need to apologize. Given your tone and expression when you pulled me aside, it seemed that you truly needed some help." Sakuya reached for her tea and frowned. "I take it you have some sort of problem with your mistress?"

The little devil sank into her chair.

"The problem is me," she squeaked. "It's always been me... I don't want to be anywhere near my mistress. What I am... The things I could do... It's just too much for me to bear should anything happen."

"I don't understand," Sakuya replied as she narrowed her eyes. "Slow down, and please elaborate. I can't help you if I don't know things."

"Do you remember what happened last Friday? At Remilia-sama's party?"

"I do. The thief took advantage of my carelessness and managed to spike the punch bowl."

Koakuma nodded.

"My mistress fell victim to the thief's punch and became intoxicated. I saw the thief try to take advantage of her, try to violate her... I prevented that from happening, but when I escorted my mistress back to her chambers, something happened." Koakuma rubbed her temples. "My mind was elsewhere; I don't remember what really happened. But, I had... a dream. A terrible, terrible dream. I acted like a beast when I had my mistress all alone. I took advantage of her, overpowered her when she was v-vulnerable, and when she was writhing under me, I..." Her lower lip quivered as she said, "I violated her!"

The maid blinked, her expression firm. After dealing with a near-insufferable vampire and a dangerous celestial, Koakuma's problem seemed rather benign.

"Hmm... I see. You haven't told your mistress of this?"

"I only told her that I had a bad dream, and she said it was 'just a dream'... but I-"

"Well, that's all it is then," Sakuya interjected with a soft smile. "The young mistress has had a few bad dreams herself, but they are only just dreams."

"...I've had one every night since that night," Koakuma muttered.

"You.... you what?"

Sakuya raised her eyebrows at that. She knew that Koakuma was a succubus, yet the little devil had never shown any sexual tendencies nor acted in a provocative manner. Other than a few shenanigans and pranks, she was a good creature. A few lewd thoughts were normal and expected of even the most pious individuals, but multiple ones in quick succession? That was not normal at all. If Koakuma was plagued by dreams and visions she found terrible, then it was a good enough cause for concern. That, and Sakuya noticed the tired, haunted look on the devil's face.

"They're all similar in a way," Koakuma continued, her voice dark. "I would overpower m-my mistress and violate her, each time more violent and callous than the last. I see myself... a wretched, depraved creature above her, and it breaks my heart!" The succubus ran her hands through her hair in exasperation. "And what's worse... The last dream I had... I saw my mistress as nothing more than a broken plaything... And she was just that."

She sniveled and looked off into the distance.

"Can you imagine it? Your mistress offering herself to you with no respect for herself, her eyes empty and cold, her heart corrupted with lust... A shell of her former self."

"Koakuma-san... It's alright," Sakuya whispered.

"No it's not!" Koakuma shouted, her voice echoing throughout Voile. She glared at Sakuya. "It's not alright! I'm a terrible thing, a creature of sin!" The maid and devil locked eyes in silence for a minute before Koakuma hung her head. "...Patchouli-sama hardly ever smiled. But, not even a year ago, she began doing it more. She used to smile at old tomes and successful experiments... Now she's smiling at me, unaware of what I could do to her. It just breaks my heart..."

No further words were spoken. Koakuma thought the world of her mistress, but she thought so little of herself. If she could not believe in herself, if she could not control herself, then what kind of servant was she? Sakuya bowed her head in thought for a few minutes before looking back up at the quiet devil. She set her tea down and sighed.

"I've had... thoughts of my own, Koakuma-san," the maid said. "Not the lewd visions you are experiencing, but uncomfortable ones nonetheless. Ones I should not be having, those that cause me to doubt my abilities... A few times I questioned milady's aptitude and wondered about what would happen if she were to fall vulnerable. How easy it would be to betray her trust and take the very knives she's given me and... and drive them into her back when she least expects it."

Koakuma roused herself enough to pull her head up and fix Sakuya with a pitiful, questioning look.

"...Sakuya-san?"

"...But then I remember that my mistress gave me my life. She gave me a home, an education, and she gave me her trust." The maid nodded and folded her hands. "I am eternally in her debt. And I will not falter in my duties, nor will I betray her trust because I know one very important thing." Sakuya smiled once more. "That I love my mistress."

"Y-you're in love with R-Remilia-sama?" Koakuma stammered.

"I am not," Sakuya replied. Her smile kept. "I love and adore her, but I am not in love with her. She is a vampire, and I am a human. Besides, someone has already claimed my mistress's heart, someone who I cannot emulate." Sakuya looked off to the side. "My mistress has given me so much, including a heart to do with as I please. Perhaps in the near future I'll know who I can entrust it to," she said. "I am sorry, Koakuma-san. I am afraid that all I can do is offer my sympathies and those words of encouragement."

"Th-that's alright. I'm just glad that you sat down to listen to me," Koakuma whimpered as she wiped her eyes. "R-Remilia-sama is in good hands... But what do I do about myself? About my mistress?"

Sakuya stood up with her cup of tea. Elegantly, she approached Koakuma in her seat and smiled down at her.

"She's... More than just your mistress, isn't she?"

"More than my mistress?" Koakuma repeated. "N-no, I just... uh, well I..."

"You have feelings for her."

It wasn't a question but a statement. No matter how sleep-deprived or ill, Sakuya was always sharper than her deadliest blade. Koakuma opened her mouth to deny it but before she could utter a word, she realized that Sakuya was right. She had always loved the frail magician. In the days following the establishment of tea breaks, the familiar had gotten closer with her mistress. She loved the way she spoke, the way she cared for her books, and the way she chose to be kind and understanding when she could be cruel and apathetic. But most of all, the familiar loved the rare smile on her mistress's lips.

"Y-yes... I guess I always did..."

"And is it a bad thing at all?" Sakuya asked.

"No... I love her so much," Koakuma confessed. "I want to care for her and be with her, and I also want to protect her from anything that could hurt her. But... But can I protect her from myself?"

"Can you?"

Koakuma wished she could. She wished that her urges, dreams, and visions would cease and she could return to her normal way of living. Change whispered in the wind, and whether it was good or ill was to be determined in the future. In truth, Koakuma wanted to love her mistress and she was excited at her own confession, yet at the same time she was terrified. She would remain a succubus at heart, and it was only a matter of time before she preyed upon her weak and vulnerable mistress.

She shook her head and turned away, thus giving Sakuya her answer.

"I see..." The maid sipped from her tea before sighing. "Koakuma-san, you may not have faith in yourself, but I do, and I'm certain your mistress does as well. Again, I am deeply sorry that I was not able to help as much as I wanted to..."

"It's fine," Koakuma muttered.

Sakuya watched the devil stew for a moment longer before turning away.

"If there was anyone who understood you better than I, it would be your mistress," she said with a soft smile.

The maid disappeared and left Koakuma to balance the weight of her words. Speaking with Patchouli could solve all of her problems- she realized- or it could give rise to more. Koakuma had confidence in her mistress. If there was anyone in Gensokyo she trusted more to research and solve an incident, it would be the magician, not the renowned miko. But Koakuma feared that her mistress would be sickened by her problem and would stop at nothing to see her sent back to Makai. She would rather burn her own books than be violated and betrayed, she had said.

And worst of all, if Patchouli rejected Koakuma's confession of love... It would tear her heart out.

Koakuma sighed and nursed her tea. She would have to come to a decision and trust that it would be the right course of action. As far as she knew, she had three options. One, she could try and ignore her problems until they clouded her mind and forced her to do the unspeakable. Two, she could confront her mistress and hope for the best that she not only helped her but returned her confession of love, or at the very least tolerated it. Or three, Koakuma could pack her bags and leave the mansion and Patchouli behind. Running away from her problems would not solve them, but they would not trouble her mistress.

For the rest of the afternoon the devil weighed her options, unaware that somewhere else in the mansion someone was doing just the same.

---

Patchouli took another long gaze over her literary domain before sighing. The potions were completed, her eyesight had returned, and she felt invigorated with mana once again. Given those triumphs, the mage had the right to sit down and drink tea with her familiar on this Friday evening without worrying about being dragged off for another party. She could finally relax, or so she wished she could. In truth, this Friday would not be host to one of her tea breaks, no matter how much the mage wanted one.

A cloud of unease had begun to set upon Voile. Patchouli was aware of it whenever she looked at Koakuma. The familiar had always jumped on every opportunity to assist her mistress, but after Remilia's party, it seemed that she wanted nothing more than to stay out of sight. She avoided her mistress when she could and hardly made a sound when she had to help. Even her mannerisms had changed to support a meek and pathetic lifestyle. It was confounding for the librarian as she had thought that she had Koakuma figured out by then.

The devil's behavior warranted a confrontation, but Patchouli couldn't even find her. How could there be a relaxing tea break between two creatures if one was absent? If the devil wanted to get away from her mistress for the day, then she had succeeded. The mage wondered why Koakuma had decided to avoid her. Perhaps she was still ashamed about the events of Remilia's last party and how she took some time in helping her mistress. However, such shame would have worn off quickly enough.

Patchouli decided to seek out and confront Koakuma, but as much as she looked, the devil remained elusive. She wanted to help her familiar not because it would make her life easier but because she did not enjoy the idea of Koakuma being uncomfortable and doubtful, especially if the problem stemmed from herself or the mage. That was most likely born from a desire for company, something Patchouli hardly ever longed for. It would have annoyed her in the past, but now the mage was more concerned. She turned away from the library's grand observation platform and decided to search elsewhere.

The faint trickle of time and space rippling past her made her hesitate. Only Sakuya's powers could entice a feeling like that. Patchouli figured that the maid had seen her as she passed, but if she had not stopped, then her business did not involve her. Servants, like all like-minded creatures, had a tendency to band together and support one another. Patchouli wondered if Sakuya knew about Koakuma and wanted to help, but the direction of the ripple in time could not be determined so easily. Was she coming or going, Patchouli thought.

Given that the mage had searched most of Voile and came up with nothing, she figured that Koakuma was somewhere in the mansion. Perhaps Sakuya had just conducted her own search and reached the same conclusion. While her assistance would be appreciated, the magician's pride remarked that it was not necessary. Koakuma was her familiar, no-one else's. The maid ought to rest and leave problems to those who were involved.

Patchouli drifted up the steps out of Voile and hovered through the mansion's various corridors. She believed she would find the little devil pacing about in the halls or outside, or possibly even Sakuya's room if she needed to confide in someone. It seemed to be a good choice, enough to make the mage change her course for the stairway that laid beyond the foyer. As she went about, she noticed that the halls were much more desolate than usual. A few fairy maids would be cleaning or exchanging idle chatter, but not today. It seemed that everyone was either taking the day off or steering clear of the mansion's halls.

"Strange," Patchouli mumbled to herself. "Not a soul in sight..."

The air was cold, even in the late summer season. Patchouli was all too familiar with the sensation as she accompanied it with Remilia's presence. However, the air was also tense as if foretelling the arrival of a dangerous creature. Only Flandre carried that unnerving feeling, which was probably the reason for the deserted halls. Upon reaching that conclusion, the mage turned a corner and caught a glimpse of a small figure wandering about in the darkness of the corridor. Although its attention was elsewhere, its scarlet eyes could be made out.

Patchouli's breath hitched as she reached for her grimoire, hoping that she would be able to distract Flandre and flee before the vampire turned her gaze on her. Too late, she thought to herself as she watched the figure turn to face her. She watched the little creature raise her arm and saw an oil lantern in her hand. With a flick of the wrist, the inner flame sparked to life and illuminated the figure. Pink robes, cerulean hair, and a toothy grimace gave Patchouli all that she needed to know.

"Remilia?"

"Patchouli?" The vampire glanced about. "What are you doing up here?"

"I was searching for my familiar," Patchouli replied. She approached her friend and searched her eyes. "Are you searching for the maid?"

"Sakuya? No, I am not," Remilia replied. "I sent her away to do as she pleased for the day."

"Then what-"

"Come, walk with me."

The scarlet vampire advanced down the hall at a slow, proper pace, leaving her magical friend to look on in confusion. She wondered what Remilia was doing walking the halls in the dark when she could usually be found lounging in her throne or taking a sheltered walk outside. The mistress of the mansion had every right to explore her domain, but for Remilia to be out and about at this time was quite suspicious. It brought up a few questions in Patchouli's mind, but as she drifted after the vampire, she figured they would be ignored.

"Why are you searching for your familiar?" Remilia asked.

"We... We were supposed to have our weekly tea break at this time, but I have not seen Koakuma at all today."

"Surely that's not the only reason. Your familiar has been absent for more than a day before."

While Patchouli could read her friend like a book, so could she, she realized.

"Yes, she has. But this time is different. Something is troubling my familiar's mind, and I have been ignorant of it." Patchouli caught Remilia's inquisitive gaze. "I trust you remember how defeated our respective servants felt after the Scarlet Mist Incident. Koakuma felt as if she had let me down, even when I waved her off. She did recover, which was a good thing, but now it seems that something else has dampened her spirits."

"You told me of the thief and how she tried to get into your pants," Remilia said with a sarcastic chuckle. "Could it be that your familiar is still unnerved by that?"

"No, that's much too simple an annoyance for such a complex creature," Patchouli replied. "She acts as if she had caused my defeat once again, but instead of coming to my aid, she chooses to avoid me. I can see it in her eyes that she wishes to be alone with her thoughts. I worry that she may be putting herself down once again for things out of her control, yet..."

Patchouli hesitated and stopped in the middle of the corridor, her gaze attached to the floor.

"Could it be that her problems stem from myself?"

Remilia stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her friend.

"You believe she's troubled because of you?" Patchouli nodded. "Have you done anything to her to make her avoid you?"

"Nothing she could not handle. I can guarantee that she does not think ill of me; she is far too kind for that."

"Patchy... These tea breaks of yours... What exactly do you do with your familiar?" Remilia asked, her eyes narrowed.

"The same things we do when we have our monthly tea breaks. Sit, drink, and enjoy each other's company."

"And this has been going on for nearly a year, correct?"

"Just what are you getting at?" Patchouli asked.

"I'm worried, Patchy. Worried for you. Your familiar, Koakuma... You know what she is."

Patchouli raised her eyebrows. It was no secret that Koakuma was a succubus, albeit a lesser one. Gensokyo was host to a myriad of creatures, all of which had their own strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. However, a succubus was a rare creature, and it was a dangerous one not because of its power but because of its capabilities. Patchouli knew what they could do, but she also knew that Koakuma was not like those she had read about.

"You're worried that I'm getting too close to my own familiar?" Patchouli hissed. "I understand she is a succubus. I knew it from the first moment I laid eyes on her. She did not look at me like a piece of meat, and she has shown no interest in me since her summoning."

"As far as we know," the vampire retorted. "To me, you getting closer to her is akin to leaving a fox and a hen together. The fox may be tame, but in the end, it is still a fox..." Remilia sighed and looked away. "Oh, I don't know. I may be wrong about her."

"You are."

"Then forgive me for asking. I guess I thought..." Remilia shook her head. "Well, I guess I didn't know what I thought. But, will you answer me this? What makes you have such confidence in your familiar? When I first met her I gave you an incredulous look, but you hardly batted an eye."

Patchouli searched her mind for the answer. It was a given that Koakuma was useful. How could she not be after all she had done for the mansion and the library? She was efficient, careful, and optimistic when she worked, and she went above and beyond to look after her mistress. But Patchouli knew that it wasn't so simple. Somewhere in her breast a warmth had grown for the familiar. It was a feeling that the mage was unaccustomed to, and it left her uncertain for the first time in years.

"I... I cannot explain it. I just have tremendous confidence in her."

"You cannot explain it?" Remilia asked, flabbergasted. "You? Patchouli Knowledge, the grand keeper of intellect in the Scarlet Devil Mansion, cannot explain why you have confidence in your familiar? Goodness me, this is an incident worthy of every miko's attention," the vampire said with a chuckle.

The mage grunted at her friend's sarcasm before smiling.

"I will say that I trust my familiar, and I have no doubt in my mind that we can get through this problem together." Patchouli clasped her hands together and stared down the corridor. "If she has fears of losing herself and hurting me, then I will do all that I can to starve them."

"Then I will leave you to your business, and I hope that you are successful." Remilia smiled. "While I am worried, I have faith in you, and I would hate to lose a servant, especially one who has the patience to deal with you."

"Quiet you," Patchouli grumbled.

With the vampire's support known, Patchouli turned to leave when she realized something. The question she had been meaning to ask Remilia had been left unfinished, and while there seemed to be more important things to worry about, the vampire wandering cold, dark halls was still too strange an sight to be left unchallenged.

"You never did let me ask why you were walking about..."

Remilia's smile faded. In her company, the air felt lighter and comfortable, but at that question the atmosphere returned to the condition Patchouli found it in. The mansion was silent once again, save the ticking of grandfather clocks and the scuffling of Remilia's shoes on the red carpet. Not even a fairy made a peep, but then again, nothing dared to wander the halls in such darkness at this time of night.

"I'm searching for Flandre," Remilia replied.

"F-Flandre? Here in the halls?" Patchouli squeaked. The mage glanced about in every direction. "You're joking. Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm afraid not."

"And here you are worried about me with a succubus while you're off courting death. We need to get the maid up here so she can-"

"Calm down, calm down," Remilia hissed. She faced Patchouli directly and brought her lantern up to bear. "I know what I am doing."

The look on Patchouli's face made it clear to the vampire that she was doubtful. Flandre was not dangerous because she had immense power. She was dangerous because she did not know how to control it, plus her mental state made her more of a liability. For years the residents of the mansion had kept her in the basement for her and their safety, and it was only a few years ago since she escaped and caused an incident. If she had escaped again, then it would be much harder to restrain her and put her back into the basement.

"How on earth did Flandre get out? How do you even know that she's walking the halls?"

"I have a theory I'd like to run by you," Remilia said. "Imagine this. Every Friday evening for the past... forty or so years I have hosted parties in the foyer. Sakuya is very busy during them, just as the last chief maid was. The guard falls into a deeper sleep and lets everyone past. You, however, tend to be more active and aware on Fridays, just like your familiar." Remilia wagged a finger. "However, for nearly a year you have been having your own tea breaks with your familiar on Friday evenings, thus leaving the mansion completely unattended. I believe my sister uses that opportunity to escape from her room and walk about."

"...That does sound to be well-thought out, Remi... But her escaping? I placed my strongest wards there. How could she get past them without alerting me?" Patchouli asked.

"She is a Scarlet," Remilia replied with a tinge of pride. "What she lacks in charisma she makes up for in ingenuity. Perhaps she has weakened the wards with her power, and if so, she shows restraint. I... I have underestimated my sister one too many times. She is not as dangerous as we believe."

"What makes you say that?"

"The incidents, the outbursts, why, even the blood fetish episode a few months back... They weren't her being a terror, they were cries for attention."

"Your attention," Patchouli said.

"She wants more than that," Remilia stated. She sighed and placed a hand on her breast. "My heart rarely beats, but when Flandre is near, it races. I know what it means, and I'm terrified. I've begun to accept this stigma, to know that this is taboo." The vampire turned away. "Tell me, Patchouli... What do you think? Am I selfish? Am I cruel? Are these feelings... unbecoming of me?"

Patchouli touched down and placed her hand on Remilia's shoulder. Only she knew about the true nature of her friend's nervousness, how her sister was always the first and foremost thing on her mind. For a mage who hardly ever socialized or got involved with others, she formed no bias when it came to love between siblings. Instead, she approached the subject like a scientist, or rather, a philosopher.

"Is love, something that is infinite and allows for limitless growth, unbecoming of you? Love is love, Remilia," Patchouli whispered. "It follows no rules or guidelines. Flandre loves you because you love her and look out for her. You've always had Flandre's best interests at heart when making decisions, even when they discomfort you. You're a good sister, and it shows. That... That is what I think."

Remilia turned back to her friend with a smile.

"Thank you, Patchy."

"You are most welcome." Patchouli pulled her hand back and patted her grimoire. "Shall I stay in case you need assistance?"

"No. This is a matter between me and her." The vampire smirked. "Besides, I don't need any help."

"You and your pride," Patchouli chuckled.

"You're no better."

Suddenly, a door opened in the distance. Its creaking reverberated throughout the corridors, undetectable to all but the most perceptive. Both Patchouli and Remilia stared down the hall to the foyer in silence. The only thing that made a sound was the gentle burning of oil in Remilia's lantern. After a moment of stillness, the two heard something else. Like leaves rustling in the wind, the sound of jewels clinking together carried down the halls along with faint footsteps. It appeared that the youngest Scarlet had come to lurk once again.

Remilia's smile kept as she prodded Patchouli with her lantern. Understanding the gesture, the librarian took the radiance away from the vampire and began to hover off of the floor once again.

"Now go. You have a familiar to take care of," Remilia whispered.

Patchouli nodded and drifted away to leave her friend in darkness. She had every bit of confidence in the vampire, and if she faltered, she knew she would be able to restrain her sister. As the mage made her way back to Voile, she could not help but wonder about her words of wisdom. Remilia and Flandre were familiar with love, but the mage was not. She had read countless romance novels and tales of relationships gone sour, even dipping into complex psychology, but none of them had truly explained what love was. Her wisdom did not come from her intellect but from her heart.

"Love... It follows no rules or guidelines..."

Perhaps love was not something that could be learned from books and research. Perhaps the only way to understand it was to experience it. The mage placed a hand to her breast and felt the warmth of her heart. Its beat calmed her mind, but it also roused her. If love was truly limitless, if it could bring out the best in those who were stricken... Then could it reign supreme over doubt and fear? Could it calm a fretful familiar?

Patchouli's expression turned into a determined frown as she looked down the steps to her domain.

"...Koakuma..."

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Author's Note: Oi, no-one has anything to say? Perhaps I'm greedy and wanting, but for a writer, receiving reviews and comments is the spice of their life.