The scene within the Yakumo household was one of silent, mounting distress. Two figures watched as their only chance for survival, the man known as Nowa Beckitzer, The Flame Noah, was psychologically cornered by the very ones meant to stabilize him.
Ran could no longer contain her panic. "Milady! He's being cornered! This will end poorly for them," she insisted, her tails bristling in anxiety. "No, for us! He is our only option against Zero!"
Yukari said nothing. Her knuckles were bone-white, gripped tightly around her closed fan as she watched the scene unfolding at the Hakurei Shrine. Her sole, irreplaceable chess piece leaned on the brink of ruin.
"This is... unfavorable," Yukari finally conceded, her voice a low murmur. "If he breaks now, the outcome is binary: flight, or fight. He will either abandon the three day search for completion and leave this world to its fate... or turn his power upon it." She paused, her eyes narrowed. "We cannot intervene. We know nothing of the past that forged this weapon, only the rumors of a 'Flame Noah' and a 'Cosmic Slayer' that match his profile. Any move we make now would be a checkmate against ourselves."
She turned her gaze from the viewing border to meet Ran's worried eyes. "As much as I hate it, my dear Ran, we must now believe in the Hakurei Maiden and that Ordinary Magician. We are doubling down on our gamble. The fate of Gensokyo rests on their ability to do what we cannot: heal a wound we cannot even see."
Ran met her master gaze. "But Milady, if we do not intervene now, we will be at a lost cause!"
"Watch Ran, We will only intervene at the last second when that time comes." She turned her head, now looking with grim anticipation at Reimu, Marisa and Nowa "This is our only way."
Within the shrine, the silence stretches as Reimu and Marisa watch Nowa with suspicion, while he is in turmoil.
His eyes hollowed. 'I have no choice... I have to erase all those who've wronged and made my multiverse a living hell...' He thought. But suddenly, a memory flashed, not of friends, but of the cold, absolute silence of the void after a world was erased. The emptiness was familiar. It was safe.
'Teka lang muna(Wait a minute)..' he paused, genuinely bringing him back in control as there was that dismissive expression once more. 'Bakit ba ako nag-aalala sa simula pa lang?(Why do I care to begin with?) I'm not here for therapy. I'm here because I wanted to see that completion. Not here for that bullshit drama.' a long pause as he regained dignity. 'And lastly, there are history that is meant to be erased and must not be revisited. It's better that they never learn.' Finally he began.
"That's all. Whether you accept it or not. One thing is for sure." He paused, gaining back the confidence. "I'm not your enemy."
Reimu's eyes sharpened. 'He just.. switched back, the inconsistency. This is troublesome, I know he's lying, but he just nearly broke down earlier.' She looked for any deceit in Nowa's demeanor. 'However I can tell that one has a heavy past that revolves around it. I'll let this slide but I'll keep a close watch of this problem.' She crossed her arm, deadpanned.
"You're not our enemy?" She repeats. "What do you mean by that? Are you and Yukari hiding something from us? I want an answer."
Marisa cautiously looked at Nowa and Reimu.
"Yukari and I?" Nowa closed his eyes as he crossed his arms and thought for a moment. 'So much so from protecting their innocence. This is becoming a pain in my arse.' He covered his frustration with a smirk, returning to his misdemeanor behavior. "hmmmmm. Technically it's Yukari that has something hidden from us."
Marisa was curious "What do you mean by that?" Nowa opened his eyes and locked on Marisa.
"Well. First thing first," he held out a hand with one crooked out finger. "I'm here because, well I'm stranded," another crooked out finger. "Two Yukari said she needs me for something," another one crooked out. "Three she told me I need to know about Gensokyo first," He lowered his hand entirely. "Then lastly when I do she'll tell me the plan, as well as to all of the necessary people too, that's what she said."
Reimu frowned. 'Great. This manipulative yokai is dragging another problem to my doorstep. I'll wait for now but I won't drop this.' while Marisa was already leaning back.
"So we're just supposed to wait around for the old hag to decide to grace us with her presence? Typical. Well, in the meantime, Old-timer, You've said, you've been through a lot of world kicking gods, saving worlds? What spell or magic did you use? Surely there is one right?"
'Finally...' Nowa then smirked. "Are you interested?"
Marisa leaned toward him. "Yeah! What is it?"
Nowa dryly chuckled. "Perfect timing." He glanced towards Reimu with that artificial plastered smirk. "Hey miko-who's-suspecting-a-dude-a-lot-whichs-techincally-true,"
Marisa snorted. Reimu rolled her eyes, groaning at the new name. "What?"
Nowa continue. "Are you gonna let the coins inside the Donation box outside sit cold and openly stolen?" Reimu glanced at the sliding door frame toward the front of her shrine then back at Nowa.
"They have disappeared, am I right?" Reimu replied.
Marisa glanced at Reimu, she muttered. "Coins disappearing?"
Nowa picked up the bowl of ramen and ate it in one go. "mmm. I'm full," he placed down the bowl. "Right, the coins. Nope they aren't, in fact they're permanent." He looked at a curious Marisa. "Wanna see a cool trick?"
Marisa arched her eyebrow. "Uhm, you already told me." Nowa grinned as if getting his ticket out of this depth. "Check the donation box first then come back here Inside."
Marisa perched up. "Hey, no fair getting my curiosity up like that!" She dashed outside, while Reimu stared at Nowa.
'The coins... he donated it to me earlier when he arrived. That is the reason why I'm not pushing too far. It's like he's buying my compliance. And I don't like that it's working.' Reimu frowned as she kept her gaze at Nowa firm.
His eyes briefly closed for a thought. 'Good, good. Let them be dazzled by the parlor tricks. It keeps their eyes off from the truth of this outside problem for now, and the blood on my hands.'
Back at Marisa as her eyes widened at the sight inside the donation box as it was filled with local coins. "WOAH!" She yelled. "Hey Old-timer! Didn't know you were rich! This is the first time I've seen this box filled to the brim!"
Nowa's dry chuckling can be heard from the inside. "Now, now. Don't pick it up yet, come back here. I still need to show you the trick."
"Okay!" Marisa quickly snatched a few coins, stuffing them into her pocket before dashing back inside. "So, what is it?" She grinned as Nowa rolled his left arm sleeves and opened his left palm.
"Watch." He pointed his palm to the floor. "Come." He commanded reality and poofed the coins in the donation box, and the stolen coins in Marisa's pocket gathered with the rest, and made a metallic coin noise as they hit the floor.
Marisa's eyes widened and mouth opened. "WHAT?! TELEPORT MAGIC?!!"
Reimu's eyes widened not with excitement but in dreadful shocking truths. 'I-its... its...' She stared at the piled coins on the floor, her brow sweats as a cold understanding settled in her gut: the wealth was real, but it came tethered to the will of the man who created it, making her shrine not funded, but fundamentally leased.