Chapter Text
“But it is not given to pass beneath earth’s hidden places,
before someone has plucked from the tree the golden-tressed bough.
This has beautiful Proserpine ordained to be borne
to her as her own gift.”
As she emerged from the trees and bushes that surrounded the perimeter of the Myouren Temple graveyard, Kasen immediately regretted her decision to come without a lantern.
Thick grey clouds covered the moon, lending none of its light to the cemetery. It wasn’t like she was afraid to go in while it was so dark, but it was going to make navigating the graveyard a lot harder than usual. In the distance, she could see dim light coming from the temple, growing dimmer as the residents one by one extinguished their candles.
It was too late in the night for any mourners to be there, human or otherwise, but Kasen knew she wasn’t alone. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, but she was able to see enough to navigate through the gravestones without tripping. She paused for a moment and listened out for the sound of a monotone voice reciting poetry, and though it was faint, she was able to make it out over the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. She followed the sound, carefully weaving in and out of graves and offerings that covered the pathways, until she reached the other end of the graveyard and found its source.
At the edge of the graveyard, the furthest point away from the temple, stood Yoshika. The talisman that was usually stuck to her forehead was missing, giving Kasen a better look at her face than usual. She was facing a clearing in the trees, looking out into the sky with blank, glassy eyes. Her voice was clear as she recited a poem, never pausing or stumbling over her words. Even as Kasen approached her, she didn’t falter, and Kasen wasn’t sure if she even noticed she was no longer alone. The hermit cautiously reached out to place a hand on Yoshika’s shoulder.
“Good evening, Yoshika,” Kasen said softly once Yoshika abruptly went quiet. Slowly, Yoshika turned around, too stiff to just turn her head. It was hard to tell if she recognised her. Of course, Yoshika wouldn’t recognise her as the Kasen she briefly met over a millennium ago. Ever since Kasen realised the strange jiang-shi that was loitering around the Buddhists’ graveyard was no stranger to her, she tried to visit her every few years if she got the chance.
Yoshika stared at her, her expression unchanging as she blinked. Kasen offered her a smile, which Yoshika eventually returned. At least she didn’t think Kasen was a threat. Both of them were silent, Kasen waiting to see if Yoshika would say anything to her, but eventually, she broke the silence herself.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” Kasen pulled her hand away and stepped back. “Please, continue.”
Without saying anything, Yoshika slowly shuffled to face the sky again and continued reciting, picking up exactly where she left off. Kasen sighed quietly. It was hard to not feel a little disappointed that Yoshika didn’t recognise her enough to speak to her. When it came to poetry, the poetry that Kasen had watched her compose all those centuries ago, her memory was flawless, but Kasen wasn’t sure if Yoshika even recognised her as a semi-frequent visitor. She just knew she wasn’t a threat.
Although Yoshika’s current state both saddened and concerned Kasen, she couldn’t help but notice just how well cared for she was whenever she came to visit. For a resurrected corpse, her skin was strangely smooth and free from any decay, and the darkness concealed the inhuman paleness of her flesh. Her clothes were made from fine silk, adorned with hand-sewn trims and buttons with no rips or tears in sight. As much as Seiga and her relationship with Yoshika unsettled Kasen, at least she wasn’t being neglected. Kasen took another few steps back and leaned against a tree as she continued to enjoy the private recital, losing herself in the tragic story of unrequited love that Yoshika had skilfully crafted into a poem many, many years ago.
“Yoshika?”
A voice from behind Kasen made her jump. She stood up straight, quickly turning and raising her fists but she lowered them when she saw who it was. She sighed.
“Oh, hello, Miss Ibarakasen!” Seiga greeted her with a bright smile as she drifted closer. “How lovely to see you again.”
“Good evening,” Kasen muttered, shivering. She wasn’t sure if it was because it was cold, or if it was because of the unsettling aura that always accompanied Seiga. As she stopped right in front of Kasen and set her feet on the ground, it was as though the graveyard shrunk, and Kasen suddenly felt like she was trapped, but she did her best to keep her composure. Seiga studied her face for a moment, a smile still plastered on her face. She was unnervingly beautiful, almost unnaturally so. Her azure eyes, accentuated by the dark kohl lining them, bore into Kasen’s until the hermit caved and looked away. Eventually, Seiga turned her attention to Yoshika.
“What did I say about wandering off?” Seiga chided her playfully. Yoshika turned around to face her, smiling at her as Seiga approached her and patted her head. “I was looking all over for you!”
Yoshika said nothing in response, she only stared at Seiga with a blank smile. Regardless, Seiga waited, giving her a chance to respond. Eventually, she reached down and fumbled with the talismen tied to her legs and selected one. She gently brushed back Yoshika’s hair and placed the talisman reading ‘HOME’ on her forehead, muttering an incantation under her breath as she did. The moment the talisman was attached, it was as though some form of life entered Yoshika. Her eyes lit up, as much as they could, and she suddenly regarded Seiga with excitement.
“Seiga, you’re back!” Yoshika exclaimed, shuffling over to her master. She was at least a head taller than Seiga, though her frail, lanky frame made her a lot less threatening than she could be. Kasen couldn’t help but smile to herself as she watched Yoshika give Seiga a clumsy hug.
“Alright, let’s get you home.” Seiga laughed as she returned Yoshika’s embrace. She gently manoeuvred the jiang-shi around and pushed her to start moving. As she turned, she seemed to suddenly remember that Kasen was there.
“Ah, Miss Ibarakasen?” Seiga stopped, putting her hand on Yoshika’s shoulder to stop her from walking off without her. “Would you perhaps like to join us for tea? I had meant to ask when we met at the Shrine a while ago. It would be nice to have a little chat!”
Kasen stared ahead, considering the offer. Since her first encounter with Seiga, she was firm with herself about keeping her distance. She spent far too long getting caught up with the wrong people, and while she didn’t think Seiga wanted to do her harm, the wicked hermit was more trouble than she was worth. From what others said about Seiga, she was the kind of person that latched onto others and wouldn’t let go until her boredom was satiated. As much as she intrigued Kasen, that kind of trouble was the last thing she needed in her life.
“There’s a shortcut to my Senkai over here,” Seiga said, gesturing towards the treeline. “I’d hate to leave you out here in the cold.”
‘Well, it wouldn’t hurt to find out a bit more about her,’ Kasen thought as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. ‘See how wicked she truly is.’ Seiga stared at her expectantly as she kept a firm grip on Yoshika’s shoulder.
“I’d love to,” Kasen answered after another long pause, forcing a thin smile. “You lead the way.”
“Excellent! It’s been ages since I’ve had visitors, so you’ll have to excuse my hosting abilities.” Seiga waited for Kasen to catch up with her and Yoshika before continuing on towards the trees. Kasen followed a few steps behind her, watching as Seiga continued to converse with Yoshika in the bizarre way that she did.
“Usually it’s just us, isn’t it? Well, sometimes the Prince joins us…”
Yoshika was silent for a moment, but eventually replied with a chipper, “Yes, it is!”
“It’s a good thing I tidied up a bit yesterday,” Seiga remarked with a laugh, looking over her shoulder at Kasen and beckoning her over. “Just over here!”
Kasen hurried over to her and watched as Seiga took her hairpin out of her hair and dragged it along the bark of a large tree, splitting the tree with ease. Seiga slipped into the gap and guided Yoshika through it after her. Kasen paused for a moment, looking at the hole in the tree with uncertainty. She tentatively put one leg through, and then the other, and found herself on the other side in one piece.
Somehow, Seiga’s Senkai was even quieter than the graveyard. There was no wind blowing there, no distant sounds from the temple or the village. The only sound came from Yoshika slowly shuffling towards the structure that Kasen could only assume was Seiga’s house. She stared ahead at it, and the small courtyard in front of it.
In her mind, she imagined Seiga’s Senkai would resemble Old Hell, but it was nothing but ordinary. The sky was no different from the graveyard they came from, dark and cloudy, and the only difference was the lack of wind. Soft light came from a single lantern at the entrance to Seiga’s house, but that was it. Kasen warily followed behind Seiga and Yoshika as they walked up a worn-out trail to the house, looking around at the garden that surrounded the house. It was mostly made up of wildflowers and fragrant herbs, all mixing together to give the garden a pleasant aroma.
“You never struck me as a gardener,” Kasen said, finally breaking the silence. Seiga turned to her as she helped Yoshika up the steps leading to the entrance and smiled appreciately.
“I wouldn’t consider myself one, honestly. I always thought it was cheating to garden in Senkai, seeing as we can control the weather and temperature.” Seiga opened the door and gave Yoshika a gentle push inside. “You can leave your shoes at the door.”
With a wave of her hand, each candle in the room was lit, filling the space with soft, flickering light. As Kasen followed her inside, she stopped to look around. Behind an ornate wooden divider that partitioned the entrance from the room was a wide, open living space. A strong smell of incense quickly replaced the smell of the herb garden. Kasen crouched down to unlace her boots, while Seiga just kicked her heels off at the door.
“Would you like some tea?” Seiga called to her as she crossed the room.
“Yes, please,” Kasen called back as she took her boots off and neatly left them at the door. She stood back up and smoothed out her skirt, walking past the divider into the rest of the room. The smell of incense was almost overwhelming, mixing with the scent of the various candles that were perched on the shelves around the room. In the centre of the room was a low wooden table surrounded by plush cushions made of various different materials. A large lantern on the table was the source of most of the light in the room. Yoshika stood next to it, staring off towards the door that Seiga went through. Kasen kept her distance for now, slowly circling the room as she inspected it.
The walls were decorated with artwork from nearly every time period, and in between each painting and scroll hung bundles of flowers and herbs, all in various stages of drying out. The shelves around the room were filled with books, as well as jars and boxes of varying sizes. Against one wall was a writing desk cluttered with papers, notebooks and inks. Next to it stood a tall cabinet with many small drawers, each of them labelled. While the room seemed cluttered at first glance, there was definitely some kind of organisation amongst the chaos, but Kasen couldn’t imagine trying to work, let alone relax, in a space like this. Although it was much more cluttered than a hermit’s space was meant to be, there was nothing sinister. At least, nothing Kasen could see or sense.
“Please, sit,” Seiga insisted as she emerged from a nearby door, carrying a tea tray to the table in the centre of the room.
Kasen obliged, joining the hermit and her jiang-shi. She kneeled on one of the cushions and watched as Seiga assisted Yoshika in sitting down. Her legs splayed out awkwardly, but Seiga managed to keep Yoshika propped up against her as she sat down beside her, across from Kasen. She poured tea into two intricately decorated cups and passed one cup to Kasen. No tea was offered to Yoshika, but that wasn’t surprising. Instead, Seiga fed her a whole bulb of ginger, which she seemed to swallow whole without even chewing.
“It’s good for digestion,’ Seiga explained, noticing Kasen staring. Kasen nodded, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, and wrapped her hands around the teacup.
“Thank you for the tea,” she said as she took a sip. “And for inviting me over.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. I’m sorry for the mess, honestly. Like I said, I don’t have visitors often.” Seiga paused to feed Yoshika again. “I’ve been meaning to catch up with you since we last bumped into each other, but you’re so hard to track down!”
“Hah, yes, I’m quite busy.” Kasen shivered at the thought of Seiga actively trying to find her, but she wasn’t sure how serious she was being.
“I’m sure! What brought you to the graveyard tonight, actually? I hope Yoshika wasn’t causing any trouble.”
Kasen took a long sip of her tea and forced a smile. “No, no, of course not. A human I knew is buried there and I like to visit her grave occasionally. I just happened to overhear Yoshika and went to investigate.”
“You’re a bit of a nuisance to the Buddhists, aren’t you?” Seiga laughed, patting Yoshika’s back. “It’s been years since I told you you didn’t need to guard the mausoleum, but you just always seem to end up there! Though, you were always fond of graveyards, weren’t you?”
There was silence as Seiga waited for Yoshika to respond. After a minute, her eyes lit up and she responded with a joyful, “Yep!”
Kasen watched their bizarre exchange with an awkward smile. It was hard to tell how lucid Yoshika really was and how much of what was being said she actually understood. Kasen decided to keep her attention turned to Seiga, even though it felt a bit rude. “So, you’ve known Yoshika for a long time, then?”
“Hmm.” Seiga looked up thoughtfully, tapping her chin. “Coming up on 1,225 years soon.”
“Oh!” Kasen almost spat out her tea but managed to keep her composure. She coughed and cleared her throat. “Oh, that’s… quite a long time, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but it feels like only yesterday that we met,” Seiga said, looking at Yoshika fondly as she took a sip of her tea.
“Ah, so you knew her when she was alive?”
“Of course,” Seiga answered nonchalantly, as though it was common knowledge. “We were together for quite a while before she died.”
Kasen stared at her. “Together?”
“My, did the yama send you here to interrogate me or something?” Seiga teased, nudging Yoshika with her elbow. The jiang-shi let out a small laugh.
“Oh, no, it’s- “ Kasen blushed and quickly covered her face. “I apologise for being so invasive. It’s just… well, I read what the Child of Miare wrote and-”
“You assumed I took the first corpse I could find when I came to Gensokyo,” Seiga finished her sentence for her, smirking. “You know, in one of her early drafts, she was going to imply I was actually responsible for her untimely death, though thankfully I was able to intervene before she could publish it.”
“Intervene?”
“Long story.” Seiga waved her hand dismissively. “But to answer your first question, yes, we were together. Though I’m sure you remember, two ladies being in such a relationship was unheard of back then.”
“I see.” Kasen wasn’t sure if she could trust a word that came out of Seiga’s mouth, but she seemed more sincere than usual. Around Yoshika, she seemed to drop her usual ‘wicked’ persona to some extent. Her smile became less of a sickly-sweet smirk and actually appeared somewhat genuine.
“I’d be happy to correct the record if you’re interested,” Seiga offered. “My reputation doesn’t bother me, but it saddens me that poor Yoshika gets tarred with the same brush.”
Kasen pressed the rim of the teacup to her lips as she thought. She already felt like just agreeing to come here was unwise, but agreeing to listen to whatever tale Seiga was going to spin her? But even if it was all made up, or even just partially contrived, it would give Kasen a little more insight into the wicked hermit she heard so much about. It wasn’t like she had other plans for the evening. She placed her teacup on the table and cleared her throat, shifting on her cushion to a more comfortable position. She hadn’t even given her response, but she could see Seiga starting to grin already.
“If you’re up for it, then of course,” Kasen finally said, feigning as much disinterest as she could. “I’d love to hear your side of the story.”
“The gates of hell are open night and day;
Smooth the descent, and easy is the way:
But to return, and view the cheerful skies,
In this the task and mighty labour lies.”