//------------------------------// // Reunification // Story: Fate is a Funny Old Thing // by Steventheman //------------------------------// Marisa sat on the messy guest bed, thinking. Thinking of every conversation with Reimu. Every time they worked together, and every time they stood against each other. Even as children, they fought, but over the years, they had settled into a firm friendship, forged in Incident after Incident. Fighting between them was kept to a minimum. Marisa tried desperately to remain angry after thinking about the times she shared with her former best friend. She needed to stick by her word. She cast Reimu out of her life. She couldn't turn back now. Not without looking weak. She looked as Mobius entered the room and sat by her. "Hey Mobius..." Marisa whispered. Hello. Marisa jumped back. "You can-" Yes. You had this reaction yesterday. You can't remember anything I said though. "Oh." What has happened between you and Reimu? "A major argument." You have cast her out, have you not? "She deserves it!" Marisa sneered. Funny. You two seemed like you were the best of friends. You shared a bond beyond friendship. It was a bond between lead and wing. "I don't know what that means, but thanks I guess..." Marisa sighed. So you have cast her away. Tell me, Marisa...has anyone ever cast you away? Marisa sighed, before she remembered something. Something which shocked her. She turned to Mobius. "This doesn't leave this room...got it?" I understand. Tell me everything you are comfortable with. "No daughter of mine is a magician! No Kirisame has ever been a magic user, and I will be damned if you break that tradition!" the middle-aged man yelled. "We are humans! We don't use the methods of the Youkai!" "But Father..." "No buts! You choose right now! You choose this family and your species, or you choose your magic!" Marisa straightened her clothing, before turning her back on her father. "I choose the life of magic." "Fine. Get out. Go forge your own doomed path." Marisa still heard the furious slam of the wooden door as she exited her family home for the final time, with nothing but simple magic tricks, the clothes she wore, and a small broom. A child without a family. Your own father rejected you for your magic use. "Yeah. Heard he swore that I never existed." That's terrible. Where was your mother in all this?! Marisa stayed silent. ...I see. Marisa sighed, as the memories continued to flood her mind. Marisa sat under the stone bridge, watching the river trickle by as raindrops fell above her head. She had refused to cry; she knew she was right. She would become the greatest human magician to ever live. "How am I to do this though..?" Marisa whispered to herself. "How will I show the world?" "I know a way," a mysterious voice said. "Who's there!?" Marisa jumped up, fists raised. "Come now, child. There is no need to fight me," the voice whispered into her ear. "Besides, you're facing the wrong way." Marisa turned around and saw a woman's face. She had long green hair, and wore a white and blue dress, which cut off at where her legs would've been. Marisa jumped back upon seeing the spirit's lack of legs. "Are you a ghost?!" Marisa stuttered fearfully, her eyes fixated on the bloodied knife the spirit wielded. "No. I am simply a soul," the spirit responded, her voice somehow calming the child. "What is your name?" "Marisa..." "I am Lady Mima," the spirit introduced herself with a bow. "So, what is it that you want to show the world?" "That I can be the greatest magician!" Marisa stated proudly. "Hmph. Show me what you can do, child. Impress me." Marisa focused herself, before three navy blue danmaku bullets fired from her fingertips. They disappeared harmlessly on the other side of the bridge's arch. "You expect to become the greatest magician with those measly parlor tricks?" Mima scoffed. "Don't waste my time, child!" "No no! I can get better!" "Really? Then show me!" Marisa focused as hard as she could, before her hands generated the three bullets again. They travelled slowly, before splitting into two and leaving water on the other side of the arch. Mima nodded in approval. "There is hope for you yet, young Marisa," Mima assured. "Come with me...and I will show you the secrets of magic." So this 'Mima' took you as her apprentice. "Yeah. She told me everything. She told me the fundamentals of magic, the basics..." Marisa replied. "Everything. We even developed the Firepower Discipline together." What is that? "It's a simple phrase," Marisa explained. "Danmaku is all about firepower!" I see. I remember your shooting style the night we fought Flandre. Marisa shrugged. "She...lived, I guess, near the Haukrei Shrine, so I had to travel some distance." So where did you live? "I stayed under that bridge. Watched the water trickle by." A homeless child living under a bridge. It sounds like an old novel. "Yeah...But Mima said that living by the water would help my own element...She was the closest thing to a parent I had," Marisa admitted. "She told me...things though." About what? "Reimu," Marisa answered. "The first time me and Reimu ever met, Reimu was trying to get at Mima for some reason. I did what I could, but Reimu just defeated me and moved on without a second thought." What did she tell you about Reimu? "Told me that she was the descendant of her original enemy. Because Mima died before getting revenge, she could never get back at that person, so she targeted Reimu instead," Marisa explained. "The way she worded it, it felt like Reimu was also responsible for everything bad in my life. I believed it for years. I put all this hatred on that one person." Where did it go? "I actually met her. She wasn't some twisted, evil demon-girl like Mima told me...she was just a shrine maiden. Human, with her own quirks, and her own personality. I had seen her when I was training, but Mima always told me to never interfere with her. That she needed the final blow." So Mima lied to you for your entire childhood. "That she did," Marisa replied. "It all came to a head one day, years later. I saw her for who she was." Who was she? "An evil spirit," Marisa confessed. "She was using me for her own sick power games. She never loved me the way I loved her." You loved her like a mother? "It was beyond that...She was my teacher, my mother and my friend. Well, I thought she was..." Marisa sniffed. "It was after I met her maid..." Who was her maid? "Alice...my neighbor. Mima took her from her home and forced her into work. There were things I was willing to tolerate, but after she did that...I had enough." What did you do? "Shot Mima in the back," Marisa stated, aware of the fact she had admitted to such a cowardly act. "Took Alice with me as I escaped. Spent the next five years hiding in the Forest of Magic with this girl obsessed with dolls. Eventually, I built my own house, and I had the powers Mima taught me. Last I heard, Reimu sealed her away to stop her from ever doing something like that again." And that was the end of Mima? "With any luck..." Marisa nodded. "Or I'd have to kill her personally to see that she stays down." So, you were cast from your home by your father, and you fell into the service of an evil spirit, before you ended up betraying her? "Yeah...You know what the funny thing is, Mobius?" What? "I think I know what my father was expecting me to do...he wanted me to crawl back to him, crying about the big bad world, but I ended up better than ever..." And what are you expecting Reimu to do? The gears clicked in Marisa's head. "...You're right..." Marisa whispered, realizing she was thinking exactly like her father did many years prior. Just as Marisa's father cast her out, she was now casting Reimu out. "...I'll let her come back on her own. I'm not going to bother myself looking for her. I've known her for years. She's a big girl, she can look after herself." Reimu cursed her inability to hold her liquor as she stumbled through the streets, attracting the glares of the townsponies. A few more ponies had not realised her drunken condition and given her more money, resulting in Reimu buying more vodka. "Dammit..." Reimu slurred. "How does Suika put up with this?" The shrine maiden continued walking down the street. The ponies moved out of her path as she continued stumbling down the street. She turned to a mare. "Hey! You! What time is it?" "Uhh...Just gone 6PM." the mare replied, looking at her hoofwatch. Reimu walked off in the vague direction of Carousel Boutique without answering the mare back. Fluttershy knocked hurriedly on the front door of the Boutique, the six-pack of beer at her hooves. The porch covered the area in a cool shade. However, Fluttershy was too concerned to enjoy the relief from running across town. "Yeah?" a red-dressed, stick-winged young biped answered. "Can you come with me?" Fluttershy asked. "Rarity's in trouble!" "...I would, but Reimu won't let me..." Flandre answered. "So where's Reimu?" Fluttershy pleaded desperately. "Marisa kicked her out a few hours back. I don't know where she is." "What about Marisa?" "She's...not in a mood to talk right now," Flandre answered. "...Alright, thanks," Fluttershy replied. The door closed in her face. Fluttershy sighed. She noticed a phone box. She stepped inside and pressed the large blue emergency button. "Hello. You have reached the Ponyville Emergency Services. What service do you require?" the operator asked. "There's a hostage situation at One Everfree Lane," Fluttershy whispered. "One hostage. Unicorn. The suspect is unarmed, but is mentally unstable." "Describe the suspect." "Suspect is a winged biped, wearing a blue dress. I am personally on my way with the kidnapper's demand, but I think I'm going to need the police while I'm going in there." "I've got that written down. Multiple police officers have been dispatched. Do not anger the suspect." The line went dead as Fluttershy put the phone back on the hook, before picking up the six pack of beer and running for her house. She hoped that the beer would be enough to calm the fairy until the police got there. "I'm tired of waiting!" Cirno shouted, making ice sculptures out of Fluttershy's furniture. "That pony better get back here soon or I'll start freezing things that someone might miss." Rarity stared at the fairy. The door downstairs opened and closed, before there were hoofsteps. Fluttershy rejoined the two. She slid the beer across the floor at the fairy. Rarity was disappointed that Fluttershy did not bring help. "Now will you leave?" Rarity asked. "Hmm...nah!" Cirno responded, firing ice danmaku at the two ponies. They failed to respond before being frozen perfectly in magical ice. "It'll take a little while for you to thaw out...hope it isn't too bad for you in there!" Cirno opened a can of beer, before walking downstairs to enjoy her new house. However, she heard sirens in the distance, before engine noise and shouting. "All units, surround the area!" "Affirmative! Suspect is surrounded!" A blinding light flooded the windows as Cirno looked outside. There were about six dark blue carriages, with red and blue lights on top. The legend "PONYVILLE POLICE SERVICE" were emblazoned on the sides. Cirno could see multiple uniformed ponies take aim with hoof mounted guns. "Attention suspect! This is the Ponyville Police! Release your hostage, and surrender immediately!" "What makes you think I'll do that?!" Cirno shouted back. "Your demand is being run to you now." "If you mean the beer, then I've already got it!" Cirno yelled. "And I've dealt with the pony who brought it to me!" Marisa sat on the armchair. The radio was off. Mobius and Flandre were busy doodling in the corner. She put her hand on her apron pocket and felt the contents. Six bits. A box of matches. A piece of paper. Some mints she had swiped from the kitchen. Marisa looked towards the door. It was starting to get dark outside and Reimu had not returned. Maybe she had fled Ponyville, or found another place to stay. Marisa also noticed that Rarity had not returned yet. Sweetie Belle had come home after school and was now doing her homework in her bedroom. Marisa was snapped out of her thoughts by a pounding at the door. She opened it, revealing Reimu. Except she was drunk. So very drunk. "You know what, Kirisame!?" the shrine maiden immediately launched into a inebriated tirade. "You're right. I don't deserve any friends. But I don't need them! I don't need anybody!" "Reimu-" "No! Don't need anybody to put pity on me! I'm queen of the damn world! I don't need Flandre! I don't need Rarity! I don't need Mobius! Guess what? I don't need Suika either, or that Sanae person!" Reimu pointed at Marisa. "And I don't need you!" Reimu stumbled on the road, and started falling backwards, before she felt Marisa's hand on her's. Marisa pulled Reimu forward, and used her other arm to support her. "Get inside," Marisa ordered, bringing the shrine maiden into the living room. "Wuh? I thought you didn't want me in your precious house?" "Reimu. Shut up," Marisa replied, pulling Reimu into a hug. "I've been thrown out before. You're not going to feel the same way I did." They stood there for a while in silence. Mobius smiled under his mask. The link of lead and wing has been restored. "Yeah." Flandre whispered back. There is a certain magic inherent in that type of friendship. They seem to place absolute, unwavering trust in each other. Reimu did not even call out for Marisa's help, but she knew it was coming. "You're right," Flandre replied quietly, watching the scene. How are you not shocked at hearing me? "I've been hearing voices recently around you...figured that it was you. I can't remember what you say, just that it was you saying something." Flandre...you have no idea how happy those words have made me. "No problem, Moby," Flandre dismissed. "I'm...sorry for hitting you..." Reimu sobbed. "Shh. It's okay," Marisa reassured. "I shouldn't have done what I did either..." "Yeah..." Reimu sniffed. "Besides...I owed you a favor from way back." "What do you mean?" Reimu asked. "Mima," Marisa replied. "That is all." Reimu felt a tug at her dress. She looked down and saw Flandre. "Are you and Mom getting back together?" she asked innocently, smiling at Reimu. "What!?" Reimu asked, shocked. "Hehe. I told her to say that if you came back and it went well," Marisa giggled. "...Marisa Kirisame, you crazy fool," Reimu laughed in Marisa's face. "Reimu?" "Yeah?" "Your breath stinks," Marisa stated flatly. She reached into her apron pocket and produced the mints, before popping one into Reimu's mouth. "I don't need to be fed," Reimu complained. "I know. I just wanted you to be 'Fun Angry Reimu' rather than 'Really Heartbreaking To Watch Angry Reimu,'" Marisa admitted. "Kids in the room, ya know?" The two friends hugged some more, before breaking away from each other. "Hey...where's Rarity?" Reimu wondered. "I wondered that too," Marisa replied. "She said she was going for tea with a friend of hers...Fluttershy." "Should we check on her?" "I'll go," Marisa said. "You go to bed. You need to sleep that alcohol off." "Ooh! Can I go?" Flandre asked, putting her hand up in the air. "Well, you've been good for today..." Marisa evaluated. "Yeah, let's go. Mobius, look after Reimu and Sweetie. Mobius saluted while Marisa and Flandre ran outside. He tapped the holster on his belt and drew his sidearm, before checking it and replacing it.