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The gentle morning sun shone down on the Divine Spirit Mausoleum, Miko nuzzled deeper into her blankets, she didn’t want to get up. It was her birthday, but she didn’t want to do anything, she just wanted to sleep. She wanted to stay in bed, but she was a hermit, she couldn’t just sleep all day. Outside her room, she heard her disciples bustling about, Futo chirping about decorations, Tojiko grumbling about having to get Futo down from the third tree today. Everyone was preparing for their celebration today, for her, because they love her.
Miko slowly sat up, stretching her arms with a yawn, she looked aside, through the window, she could see her disciples work. Streamers of paper stars hung from the frame, leading across the temple to a nearby bamboo stalk, coiling around it like the tranquility of Senkai. She rose from her futon, patting the blanket down over the pillow, then started to change to her daily wear. Her hand slid over the hilt of the Seven-Star Sword, her old body transformed, before she fastened the sheath at her hip.
With that, barely bothering to brush her hair, she stepped from her room, walking down the hall towards the exit door. She heard Futo half-squeal in delight, desires flooded Miko’s ears, and she welcomed them with an open heart: love, care, affection, protection… she wasn’t sure if they were her own, or her disciples, but she smiled regardless. Stepping out into the sunkissed temple grounds, she saw Futo and Tojiko at some bamboo, Futo perched on Tojiko’s shoulders, reaching up to replace an origami star on the streamers coiling around it, somehow she must have torn it.
“You're up early, saint!” She heard a disciple call out, bowing towards her.
She curtly smiled, “…I just couldn’t sleep.” She usually sleeps till noon on her birthday, not today though, today she’s up at seven. The temple grounds were decorated with stars, Taoist symbols and even a lopsided wooden statue of herself that Futo had made the day before.
Miko stepped over to a dark wooden table, food and snacks sat arranged perfectly, aligning to the qi of Senkai. Futo obviously set this up, or at least fussed about it to everyone else until it was perfect. Miko hummed, reaching down and grabbing a soft tangyuan, she rose the ricey treat to her lips. It was filled with lotus seed paste, an unusual choice, but a welcome one. Futo hopped from Tojiko’s shoulders, scurrying across the temple grounds to Miko’s side.
“Crown prince! How art thou? Hadst thee slept well?” Futo asked, her gleeful smile brightened Miko’s day every time, the gentle tilt of her head, the way she blinked expectantly as Miko chewed. It was adorable, and Miko knew that Futo knew it was, that's why she always does it.
Miko swallowed, patting her lips with a napkin, “I slept well, don’t worry.” She chuckled as Futo smiled brighter, “I feel alright, um I do wanna go back to sleep…” She looked up, the glittering hermit magic of Senkai curled around her, the origami stars seemed to glitter as she watched them. She took another bite, the squishy tangyuan helped soothe her tired body, maybe she was eating too much mist recently?
“Nay! Doth not sleep! ‘Tis thy birthday, if thou’rt up early, that means we canst celebrate for longer!” Futo already ran off, likely to go get joss paper for burning, her favorite festival activity. Miko rested her freehand on the table, the imperfect wood felt natural, unlike the village's “perfect” wares.
She saw Tojiko finished with the streamers, then floated off to go bring out some frozen snacks. Her tangyuan soon became rice crumbs that she flicked off her fingers, she didn’t like things on her hands, it irritated her so much. A group of her disciples finished piling wood for burning, some finished setting incense to burn, the sweetened scent filled the air immediately.
Miko’s legs ached subtly as she stood, watching her disciples work dutifully, this was one celebration that she never helped them prepare for, they always told her to sleep. She often wakes up and everyone is already finished, and then they have fun as the family that they felt like, at least, she thinks she feels them as such anyway. Tojiko returned with a wooden box filled with ice and frozen treats, Futo returned with a pile of joss paper for burning, Seiga and Yoshika returned from whatever they were up to, Miko couldn’t be bothered to know. It's probably not concerning, it was her birthday.
After Tojiko and Futo set down the wooden box and paper, it was time to celebrate. Her disciples gathered around the table, Futo gleefully stood by her side, looking up with the affection that only she could hold. Her tiny sister’s eyes like mist, an ethereal grayness that looked precious, the crescent moon birthmark under her right eye seemed to glow today. Miko smiled back at her, reaching to the tangyuan to grab another, Futo grabbed one too, lifting it to her lips and taking a big bite. Lotus seed paste dripped to the table, they chuckled as her disciples began to talk.
Everyone in Senkai adored her, everything in Senkai adored her, Miko was everything to most of Senkai’s inhabitants. She knew it, but their loving praise always made blood rush to her cheeks, “Saint, what will happen when you become a celestial?” She heard one ask, “Would we still be with you?”
Miko shut her eyes, she truthfully never considered it, her disciples once were just servants, but now she’s begging to question it. “When that occurs, hopefully we’ll all ascend together. Um, I wouldn’t mind escaping heaven to visit if not! Fufu…!” Miko replied, her soft voice struggling to assert itself, her heart felt light for once, the desires of Gensokyo faded to a distant hum in her mind.
“The crown prince always has an answer, hm?” Seiga’s voice cut through, the wicked hermit held a cup of tea, her piercing gaze was warmer today, “Does that mean you think me and Yoshika can join you in heaven? Goodness, you’re so pure.”
“W-well… I mean, if Reimu can just um, go there, anyone can visit… right?” Miko said, patting her lips with a napkin again, the silky white cloth started to stain from lotus paste.
“Oho, it’s alright, Lady Toyosatomimi.” Seiga giggled, eyes looking towards Yoshika, who was currently gnawing on a scrap of wood, “Don’t worry yourself with it, heaven isn’t appealing to me anyway.” Miko sighed, she forgot Seiga didn’t like the sound of heaven, Taoism was only a tool for her back then, why would it change now?
The sun creeped higher in the sky, Senkai didn’t really have a sun, but the glowing energy acted like one. The plate tangyuan started to run empty, chestnuts and pine nuts settled Miko’s aching stomach, she’s eaten too much again, hasn’t she? Her disciples stepped from the table, they planned a dance with her, Miko set down a bowl of yuzu sorbet and spoon, following behind them with Futo by her side. Futo’s misty eyes still widened with affection like a tiny puppy, Miko patted the back of her head.
One of Senkai’s fairies started plucking the strings of a shamisen, a harmonious melody echoed through the temple grounds. They started to dance around Miko, who began slowly spinning, she knew the routine off by heart. They titled this dance “Sakura Star,” Miko was the star, her disciples were the sakura’s petals. Her disciples held fans, doing a traditional-styled dance while slowly moving around her, Miko’s purple cape fluttered in a gentle breeze, curling around her as she spun around.
She began tapping her shaku on her hand, keeping rhythm with the shamisen, the dance was slow, their movements flowing like a river. No magic was needed today, no special effects, just simply being was all the dance needed. She glimpsed Futo stumble over one of her ribbons, a fairy quickly caught her before she fell, and her tiny sister resumed dancing like nothing happened. She can bounce back so easily from her stumbles, truly much like the Tao.
Miko’s spins started to slow, she caught a glimpse of Reimu standing under the gateway to their temple, she seemed to be watching without interfering. Minutes felt like hours as they danced, the shamisen played its final note as her disciples bowed towards her, they all murmured a soft and delicate “happy birthday” with smiles on their faces. Miko stepped ahead, but legs felt like knives were stabbed through them. She hated it, she wanted to sit down, her legs felt weak.
Futo was by her side in an instant, grabbing hold of her arm and guiding her to a cushioned chair, helping her uncooperative legs adjust to the pain. Miko looked back towards where Reimu was, her disciples moved to let the shrine maiden join them, their friend walked through the group, arriving near the chair Miko sat on. Futo peeked up at her, smiling widely, “Hello, Reimu!” She chirped.
“Hello, Miko, Futo.” Reimu replied.
“…Hello, um, how are you?” Miko asked, shifting in her seat slightly, she felt like she walked across Gensokyo.
“I’m fine, how are you, and how has your day been?” Reimu asked.
“I’m fine.” Miko smiled, she saw Futo skittered away to prepare the joss paper for burning, “…Today’s alright too, um, I’m glad you could make it.”
“I didn’t want to miss it since I was invited.” Reimu replied.
Miko stood, her legs wanted to rest, she wanted to rest, but she had to celebrate with the others. She limped as she walked by Reimu’s side, heading to the small pile of wood for burning. Normally, they burn the paper itself, but Futo insisted that they use a campfire today, “‘Tis funner!” She had declared. Miko saw Futo holding handfuls of joss paper, Miko took some from their pile, Reimu did as well.
Once everyone was ready, they tossed the paper into the burning wood, Miko watched the paper burn away to ash. Suddenly, a large fire crackled ahead, she thought she heard screaming, quickly she blinked, shaking her head. The small campfire returned, joss paper burning slowly, Futo’s gleeful cheers washed away the faint screams. The world felt fuzzy, the burning paper started smelling like skin, she looked towards Futo’s gleeful smile. The way Futo clapped her hands softly as the last bits of paper burned, the way her cheeks flushed with pink. Everything felt calmer with her sister there.
The smell of incense curled around them as they tried to rid the scent of ash, Miko limped with Futo back to the wood table, her sorbet somehow hadn’t melted yet. Miko sat down on the cushioned chair, Futo grabbed some pine nuts to eat, Reimu was somewhere nearby. Miko picked up her spoon, carefully taking a bite of sorbet, she looked back at Futo, who munched on pine nuts like rice crackers. Tojiko was off to the side monitoring the incense and campfire, Seiga and Yoshika were with some of her disciples, she heard more compliments from the others, more birthday wishes.
But she just wanted rest, she wanted to sleep, a tiny part of her wished her brother was there today. “Futo, be careful you don’t choke…” Miko mumbled, tapping her spoon idly against the bowl’s edge.
She heard Futo giggle, “I wilt not, thou needst not worry!” Futo grabbed some mochi now, gently biting into it. Miko ate more of her sorbet, some fell from her spoon onto her skirt, her eyes widened as she quickly brushed it off. She didn’t want her clothes stained.
“…Alright.” Miko hummed, her stomach hurt, her legs hurt, she just wanted to go back to bed. She looked towards the sky, a few clouds danced in the sky, a faint mist floated around like the hermit magics that defined Senkai’s existence. She heard Reimu’s footsteps, she sounded a few steps away. Miko didn’t look, she didn’t need to, Reimu wouldn’t do anything to her.
“Oh, Miko?” Reimu asked, “I have something I want to say to you.”
“…I know what you’re going to say.” Miko hummed, “‘Happy birthday,’ right?”
“Yes, so.” Reimu replied, “Happy birthday!”
“Um, thank you.” Miko tapped her bowl, looking back at Reimu with a faint smile. She didn’t really care about her birthday, she never had, not since then anyway. Futo somehow already ate all the mochi they had left, Miko chuckled, she never understood how her tiny sister could eat so quickly. They’re hermits, she thought they’d all have small appetites, but Futo seems different sometimes.
“Reimu? Doth thou have a gift for the crown prince?” Futo tilted her head, they always end up giving Miko gifts, though she never asked for them, she never wanted them, but they do it anyway, “I hath a cute one for her, verily!”
“I got her one.” Reimu replied, “Well, more like ‘made’, but.”
“Thou made her a gift? I made mine too!” Futo giggled, “Thou canst giveth it first…!”
“Um… I um…” Miko blinked, she saw Reimu hand her a box. Miko held it gently, slowly opening it up, inside the box was a silky purple scarf. She pulled it out slowly, wrapping it around her neck, it was surprisingly warm despite being silk, and soft like her blanket. Seconds later, Futo handed her a silk bag, in the bag was a silky purple and yellow-tan snow hat, complete with cat-ear shaped pockets on the top for her hair tufts to hide in. Miko put it on, adjusting it over her hair, her two tufts of hair wiggled against the loose silk, “…Oooh… it’s warm…” Somehow they made silk warm.
“Do you like our gifts, Miko?” Reimu asked
“I like them, they’re comfy…” Miko smiled softly, her entire body wanting to sleep, she wanted to cuddle in her bed all day, “…Um, they’re making me sleepy.”
“…Uh, mayhap thou hath woken up too early…” Futo giggled, “Thou canst sleep when we art done having fun, sister!”
“I could join in, if that’s fine.” Reimu replied, “And I am glad you like them.”
“We um, don’t have much else planned…” Miko replied, she saw Futo nibbling more pine nuts, “…If you’re hungry, there's um, plenty of food.”
“I’ll have some, then.” Reimu replied, “And, that’s fine.”
Miko hummed a soft tune, watching Futo nibble pine nuts, Reimu stepped to the table to grab some fruit. The fairies fluttered above the temple grounds, cheering a hymn of happy birthday and praise, tossing rice about like confetti. Her legs ached faintly, she yawned, the silky scarf and hat brushed against her skin, causing her to shiver. She blinked, she thought she saw the imperial palace she once lived in, her father and brother standing ahead, tossing rice to ward off a spirit she was scared of. A soft smile pulled on her lips, she missed them, she wanted them back.
Soon, the fairies fluttered down, their baskets of rice all emptied, rice sprinkled the temple like snow. It’ll all be cleaned by morning, that’s just how Senkai was. The sun was starting to set, the gentle breeze blew sakura petals down from the Tree of Immortality, her disciples wished her a final happy birthday as they retreated to the meditation room, Reimu vanished somewhere. Miko slowly rose from her seat, her legs felt like knives stabbed through, her vision started to blur from pain. Futo was by her side immediately, carefully guiding her through the temple to her room.
She carefully climbed into her futon, pulling the silk blanket up to her chin. She felt Futo pat the blanket down, carefully adjusting it to keep her warm. Miko smiled at her, “Goodnight, sister…” Miko mumbled, nuzzling into her soft pillow.
She heard Futo say a quiet, “Goodnight!” As the lights dimmed, the door slid shut as Futo left to go do her chores, Miko’s legs ached less. The gentle evening sun shone through her window, she heard, faintly in her mind, her past family wishing her happy birthday, her cheeks flushed with a gentle pink as she closed her eyes to sleep again. Perhaps one day, she would hear them actually there for her.