134Kitsune of the Hakurei Shrine
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Chapter 11: Forever
"Because…" Reimu looked up into the Juubi confused eyes and uttered three words with the innocent naivety only a child possessed, "I love you!"
…
…
…
The Juubi picked up Reimu and brought her to eye level where her brown irises connected with his, a million-watt smile danced on the young girl's lips as she waited for his response to her wish.
A wish that could change the entirety of the World if he was to grant it.
…
But the World never cared for him, so why should he care for the world that abandoned him? Besides, it wasn't like he couldn't just make a completely new one if he so desired, it would be an arduous and boring task, but nothing was impossible for him.
So, really, what was there to think about before granting Reimu's wish?
It only involved him, and her, and nobody else.
Reimu had grown on him, whether he liked to admit it or not, just as various others had grown on him in the past, BUT unlike all those others in the past, Reimu hadn't wished for something materialistic, hadn't wished for something to make her life easier, hadn't wished to obtain power that she wouldn't be able to control.
Unlike all others whom he'd helped before her.
She only wished to remain by his side.
Not for him to remain by her side, but for her to remain by his side.
Him.
The Juubi.
The Primordial Casualty born from an epoch where the Earth was barely shaped into what it was today.
The Primordial Entity with far too much power for anything in existence, and non-existence, to match.
The Primordial Ten-Tailed Fox who could control reality and fiction to his whim.
Hakurei Reimu wanted to be by the side of one such Primordial Beast, a Beast that had regained its emotions entirely thanks to her efforts, her affection, her young, naïve, innocent, love.
Really? What was there to think about?
Just a snap of the finger, and her wish would be granted.
Why, if every rational part of his mind told him that there would be no problem with granting her wish, was he hesitating?
Well…
"Little Maiden, how old do you think I am?" The Juubi's voice held none of its ethereal tone.
"Uhhhh… I dunno, don't care." Reimu shrugged while lifted by his hands.
"You'll grow as old as me, you know?" The Juubi put her down on the coffee table, their eyes never leaving each other.
"Don't care, I want to be by your side, Juubi." Reimu crossed her arms and petulantly pouted.
"Even when you may get bored of me?" The Juubi crossed his own fuzzy arms.
"Why would I get bored of you?" Reimu frowned.
…
Why?
Was there even a why?
No, obviously not, at least not one that wasn't a stretchy, reaching, answer.
Just a snap of the fingers.
Just.
A.
Snap.
"Is that really your wish, Little Maiden?"
"Yeah! I mean, imagine all the things we can do together!"
He didn't imagine it because the moment he did, it would become a reality, because…
He too desired to have her by his side.
For all of his remaining eternity.
"You truly wish to remain by my side, even when you don't know my real name, my real identity, my real power?"
"I don't care about any of that!" Reimu growled in anger. "I just want to be with you, why is that so hard for you to understand!?"
"It's not that I don't understand, Little Maiden," The Juubi waved his claws in defeat.
"Then what is it?" Reimu huffed.
"I'm afraid that I won't be able to make you happy if you remain by my side," The Juubi brought his palms up, which his Little Maiden was quick to take into her own.
"Why wouldn't you?" Reimu frowned with her question.
"Because I do not know what happiness is like anymore."
Cold-blooded truth.
That needed to be spoken.
"Then I'll make you find out what it's like!"
Hot-headed care.
That needed to be said.
"Eternity is a long time."
He knew that very well.
As much as he wanted to grant his Little Maiden's wish, as much as he wanted to keep her by his side, as much as he wanted to relish in the emotions, she, brought from within his non-existent heart again, Eternity would always put to the test all those thoughts.
"Then we'll spend that time together."
…
To grow old, together.
To watch the Sun rise every morning, together.
To watch the Moon fall every night, together.
To feel the Seasons change with every passing day, together.
Day after day.
Year after year.
Millennia after millennia.
And when the Sun no longer shone.
And when the Moon was no longer there.
And when there would be no more Seasons because there would no Earth left.
They would still be together.
? after ?
? after ?
? after ?
And when the ? would ?
And when the ? would ?
And when ? ? ? ?
?
…
…
…
Together.
"I'll ask you one last time, Hakurei Reimu, Shrine Maiden of The Hakurei Bloodline, is it truly your wish to remain by my side?"
"You just want to hear me say that I lo- uhm, like you again, don't you?"
Yes.
"Yes, Juubi, I want to be with you, forever."
"Then…"
The Juubi gathered cupped Reimu's smaller hands in between his, he kneeled until he was at eye-level with her sitting on the coffee table, and he looked at her straight in the eyes.
"Prove it to me, through this."
The concentric lines of the Juubi's purple eyes started spinning in an hypnotizing pattern, all sound disappeared from around the two of them, all light disappeared from around the two of them, casting them in complete and total darkness.
"Let's live together, Reimu."
Hey, good morning, did you sleep well, Reimu?
…
What day is it today, you ask?
…
It's your birthday!
…
I have a surprise for you, come.
…
Remember those seeds we planted last year? They're already blooming.
…
They're beautiful, aren't they?
…
How about we have some tea today while watching the stars?
…
Hey, good morning, did you sleep well, Reimu?
…
I don't feel like leaving bed either, let's just stay here.
…
Food? We don't need that, or did you forget.
…
Wow, we really stayed in bed all day, maybe tomorrow we'll do something different.
…
Hey, good morning, did you sleep well, Reimu?
…
You wanted to watch the Sun rise?
…
That's going to be a bit hard, Reimu, did you forget the Sun already went out ? years ago.
…
What do you mean by where we are?
…
We're in ?, we moved in after ? and ? blew up Earth.
…
Everyone else? There wasn't anyone else left.
…
You want them back huh, well, okay, I guess.
…
Hey, good morning, did you sleep well, Reimu?
…
Yep, everything's back as it was, before ? did ?, who do you want to see again, first?
…
Sure, one gate towards Hells opening right up!
…
…
…
She seems different? Well, of course she would be different, they were all dead before today.
…
…
…
Don't worry, you'll get used to it in TIME.
…
…
…
Hey, good morning, did you sleep well, Reimu?
. . .
You… Don't want to see me today? I guess it's one of those days huh.
. . .
. . .
. . .
Hey… I'm back, are you alright?
. . .
Sorry, I should've put more effort into it, tomorrow's going to be different, I promise.
. . .
H e y, g o o d, g, d i d, y o u, p, w e l l, ¿
. . .
N o
D o
N o t
Worry
. . .
Y o u
J u s t
N e e d
M o r e
T i m e
. . .
T I M E
. . .
W e
H a v e
A L L
T H E
T I M E
. . .
THIS IS FOREVER
. . .
FOREVER
FOREVER
F0R3VER
F & " % V # ?
?
So tell me
My little maiden,
Do you still want to be by my side
Forever?
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
"Yes."
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