>>14791 Except it wasn't Nine but someone else.
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[x] "Reimu?"
As if that care transferred itself into your mind, you too, careful not to disturb the stale air around you, whisper silently.
"Reimu?"
The figure laying on your bed, still clutching onto the eiderdown covering your body, flinches visibly, perhaps frightened by your sudden call. Her ears, the very same Yuuka transplanted magically out of some sort of twisted spite, quiver once, then cower flat on her head. But other than that, she doesn't move. Her usual, ragged clothes look even dirtier than usual in this dim light. It's suprising that Yuuka let her wear those. It was only thanks to your intervention that Reimu doesn't have to run around naked. It would be distracting and...
Humilating?
Does it even matter anymore? Back then, when you weren't so used to her being a 'dog', it was still... disturbing, but now, if something like that was to happen, would it bother you? She can't speak. She can't act like a human anymore. Why? Yuuka only said she 'taught' her how to behave like a dog. What method it was, you don't know, neither want to know. After all, it all became but a distant, unpleasant memory after she really became an animal...
Cringing in fear, Reimu keeps still, as if afraid of your reaction to any movement now. You can see wet dribbles on her cheeks, through the gaps between her fingers, covering her face.
She shivers violently when you lift yourself up from the soft pillows.
"Reimu."
Gently, but firmly, your exclaim her name again. But to no avail. The only reaction is her cowering even more. With a troubled sigh, you reach forward and place your palm on her head. What is she afraid of? Getting scolded? Surely, you've done it a few times before, but that was long ago and... For radically diffirent things than sneaking into your bed and crying. Though, can it be called a cry? No, cry is usually accompanied by moaning, or--
Then you remember. That Yuuka did something to Reimu's voice. It was only once that you noticed the greed, ethereal collar around her neck, but definitely, it was Yuuka's doing. Ever since you acquired the 'source', mostly because of Yuuka's temporal weakness due to the regular fluctuations of magic, and their effects on her wound, you've been able to perceive 'magic' more 'physically'. Books in the library didn't prove to be useful, as they are ones meant for a person acquainted with magic from his or her birth. Shio refused to talk about it after you mentioned acquiring the 'source'. And Yuuka... Yuuka only said she did it because Reimu's occasional outbursts were annoying.
It's... convenient, for sure, seeing as she became your pet, but...
Like this, you won't be able to get an unambiguous answer. Then...
"Reimu, relax."
As softly as possible, you grab her shoulder and force her to lay down on her back. At first she resists slightly, but seeing that you won't back away, she obediently gives in.
Even after turning around fully, she still keeps her legs bent up, pressed agains her lower body. Her tail, enclosed between her knees, comes into view. That too, is an effect of Yuuka's sick imagination. 'Dogs ought to have tails', she said. And you, though still reluctant, agreed. Judging from Reimu's groans, it had to be a painful process, to have her spine grow significantly while still being conscious... It was so unsettling you left after two minutes or so, then returned after they were finished. Only to find out that Reimu not only had grown a tail, but a pair of ears too. It was... cute, in it's own right, though the process itself, Reimu's screams, were still sounding loud in your mind.
Now that you recall it, and with those wet eyes staring at you in fright, you're... Kind of feeling disgusted with yourself.
But, if you're to heed an answer from her... Your skills should prove to be enough to remove the spell and then put it back on, without any visible traces of tampering. And since your 'source' is essentialy Yuuka's, there shouldn't be any significant differences in energy configuration.
Putting your hand over Reimu's eyes, you whisper reassuringly.
"Calm down. It's going to hurt for only a moment."
You concentrate on her neck. There, flickering in unison with your varying level of contentration, a green, glowing collar, placed slightly over the physical, leather one. Built with little, almost invisible to naked eye orbs of energy.
Reimu flinches as your figers brush against her skin when you grab the 'collar'. It's slightly warm, even though it doesn't really 'exist' in strict sense. There's no sense of touching it, no sense of it 'being' there in the first place. Even the warmth itself is... Something that is more 'supposed' to be there, more than actually 'being' there. Magic is a complicated business, especially to those learning it from the very basics. Marisa had to go through one hell of a learning session to learn all the stuff she knows...
Marisa.
Wasn't she one of Reimu's 'friends'? Yet she didn't come even once to ask about the miko. Even Yukari, who said herself she was worried about her, only asked for access to Reimu's 'source', not asking about anything else. Of course, the one to decide was Yuuka.
Mixed feelings tarnish your thoughts as you 'rip' off the collar from Reimu's neck. It flinches once before disappearing into thin air. Not fast enough to prevent your from remembering the energy pattern.
Eigh, seven, three. Next seven in the middle. Add singular particles for addinational stability. Direct the output to the middle of the circle. Not that complicated.
Still repating the numbers in your thoughts, you turn to Reimu.
"You can speak now. What's wrong?"
Uh. Your words sounded a little bit too harsh than you had intended them to.
She twitches lightly, then opens her mouth.
"... ghh..."
Hoarse groan escapes her lips. No wonder. It's been a whole month since she's spoken last. You wait patiently for her to clear her throat.
"... it... hurts..."
Finally, after sitting up and hiding her face in her hands again, she speaks up.
"Hurts? What hurts?"
"... S-Shio..." her voice gets weepy again. You get a feeling she's going to burst into tears any time now. "... S-she..."
[ ] Hug her. "Now, calm down. Tell me. What did that witch do?"
[ ] "I didn't remove the spell to hear your stutters. What did she do?"
[ ] "Reimu, I can't hear you."
