Strange Samsara of Migrant Myth Chapter 2(Touhou/Worm Crossover)

Doing his best not to quell under the unamused stare of the Shopkeeper, Greg smiled awkwardly as he reflected that… maybe he should’ve planned this better. Actually have a gameplan instead of just… popping in.

In his defense, Greg had been excited to finally find the shop after a week of looking for it. It hadn’t been in the original spot which only made it that much more alluring and Greg that more sure that, yes, this was absolutely the mysterious shop trope.

So finally finding the shop was quite exciting.

He had paced to and fro outside the shop, trying to figure out how to introduce himself until the fox lady had grabbed him by the collar, lifted him one-handed, and dragged him inside. So now here he was being glared at by the Shopkeeper who specifically told him to stay away.

Wait. No! It wasn’t his fault that he screwed up this meeting! It was the fox-lady’s fault! She basically kidnapped him! It was the coolest thing to happen to him. Seriously, Greg knew he was small, but this lady was carrying him with one hand! That was badass! And cool! And not the point! It was the fox-lady’s fault that he had to endure this awkward second meeting.

“I found a little weasel scurrying around outside,” the fox-lady giggled, swinging Greg lightly. Greg hated being short, but… it felt weirdly nice to be treated like a kitten. Just dangling in the grip of somebody so much more powerful.

PInching his nose, the Shopkeeper, Morichika-san if Greg remembered correctly, “I thought… what was her name… I thought Nazrin was on the Palanquin, searching for the Saint and the Priest.”

“I’m trying to be clever here, Shopkeeper-san,'' the fox lady sighed dramatically, swinging Greg lightly again. Kind of fun. Like being on a swing.

“I thought it was clever even if I don’t get how I’m like a weasel,” Greg offered before he began to complain, “But, like seriously! I’m not like a weasel at all! Except that I’m short and stubby which obviously isn’t enough to be considered a weasel. You’ve got to be smart and sly and clever too! Maybe a bit bite-y! … Unless I’m weaseling my way into your heart?,” Greg cringed at his horrible joke. Swallowing thickly, he continued with a smile, “If it helps, I’m also terrified.”

Shit. Why’d he complain about that? Greg should’ve complained about the fox-lady ruining his entrance, but he’d be lying if he wasn’t enjoying this. It was dangerous! It was cool! So cool!

“You don’t sound terrified,” Morichika-san drawled.

“I’m hoping the Inarizushi I brought as a bribe won’t make you eat my liver,” Greg smiled awkwardly. Honestly though, he’d be fine too. That’d be such a cool way to go. Not that he wanted to die, but in Brockton Bay, there were a plethora of painful ways to die.

…Wait, was having your liver eaten painful? How’d that work? Would the fox-lady kill him and then eat his liver or kill him by eating his liver?

…Hm, food for thought while he tried to work on not being food. Shit, what was fox-lady’s name? Lady something, right? He should get to work on remembering the name. Politeness and manners saved lives from what he remembered from studying the old myths and tales.

“Hm, where is this inarizushi?” the fox-lady hummed, setting Greg down gently.

“In my bag!” Greg answered brightly, swinging the item in question around and pulling out a box of seven Inarizushi. A bit pricier than the normal ones, but this one was a variety pack.

Seven sushi with seven different toppings to make a literal rainbow of variety, ranging from plain to vegetarian to seafood to spicy seafood! Greg had been buying one a day just in case, and yikes, did that run through his piggy bank right quick. He ate them before they went bad, so they didn’t go to ‘waste’ waste, but it was still an expense he’d been dreading explaining to his mother.

All worth it as the fox-lady grabbed it with an air of casual nonchalance. The fact that she immediately began eating the ahi-covered one betrayed how happy she was, so yeah! Greg was super pleased with himself. Who’s a smart boy that knows how to bribe fox-ladies!? He was! Booyah!

Oh, the crash from the adrenaline was going to suck SO much. Best to ride the high out right now.

Chewing and swallowing, the fox-lady licked her lips and nodded, “Clever with your politeness, genuine in your respect, and well-studied on the old folklore, you are a curious little weasel,” taking another bite, this one of the corn-topped inarizushi, she continued, “Hm, yes, I suppose this is sufficient as tribute.”

Hell yeah. Most important person in the room… What’s the word? Not befriended. Definitely not captured; this wasn’t some rom-com simulator, this was REAL. Hm… Most important person kiss-assed to.

There was definitely a better word, but Greg was too wired to figure out exactly what that was. Also, try to remember what the fox-lady’s name was.

“Should we really be allowing an Outsider here, Lady Ran?” Morichika-san grumbled, helping Greg finally remember the fox-lady’s name.

“There is no Gensokyo now. No inside here for there to be an outside yet, Shopkeeper-san,” Lady Ran chided before tilting her head with a small smile, “Besides, this one feels a bit like your old helper.”

“Sumireko-san?” Morichika-san raised an eyebrow.

“Mm. Indeed! One seeking to escape mundane reality and slip into fantasy!”

“I want to work here!” Greg cut in. Maybe it was a bit rude, but fox-lady seemed happy, so if he had read that right--

“In more ways than one too!” Lady Ran cackled, Yes! Successful social read done! “With Sumireko-chan off wandering about with the Scientists, you have been positively lonely, Shopkeeper-san!”

“I am not lonely,” the Shopkeeper growled, aggressively sipping his tea, “I have enough visitors as is. Visitors that buy nothing and bring me everything bothersome!” Not quite slamming the cup down, he refilled it while ranting, “Absolutely not, I’ve had exactly one helper and that one almost broke her own existence into three! I refuse to have another one!”

“Oh, come now, things worked out in the end.”

“Barely! We had to have Renku working with the rabbits and the baku to find the pieces. The less said about actually combining them together, the better! This one’s just as bad! With my luck, he’ll be worse! What even caused him to search for us!?”

“Because you’re weird!” Greg answered before wincing. Right, shit. That was probably a rhetorical question, the ones where people didn’t actually want an answer.

“See!? Pure impulse!” Morichika-san snapped, “A disaster, no! An incident waiting to happen.”

Shaking her head and hand softly, the fox-lady simpered, “No, no. Let’s hear him out. ”

Oh, thank god. Greg knew he made the right choice kiss-assing the fox-lady. She was helping him. He hoped. Clearing his throat, Greg began.“I’m a fan of anime and manga!”

Immediately, the Morichika-san glared at Lady Ran.

Coughing twice, Greg repeated himself, “I’m a fan of anime and manga, and comics and heroes and villains. I think stories are great, but everything is so damn depressing and I wish there was more to this world!”

Sighing, Morichika-san forced himself to relax from his earlier rant, growling, “And that pertains to us… how?”

“Because you’re not Capes.”

Greg felt a shiver as the fox-lady’s gaze sharpened into a glare, “Explain.”

Was it bad that he only got more excited from the danger he was in? Probably, but Greg was using that adrenaline productively, so it couldn’t be that bad.

Grinning widely, Greg forced himself to speak slowly and clearly, mindful of his rambling, “An argument could be made that you are a Case 53, but you’re too well-put together for that. Most Case 53s bodies seem like something they actively work against, actively fight to live with, but your body type seems too natural.”

“I’m a fox that’s become a woman,” Lady Ran tilted her head to the side, “ how am I natural?”

Eyes widening in glee, Greg pointed aggressively, “That! That! What you just said! A fox that became a woman! No Case 53 thinks of themselves like that. They always think ‘human’ with the added-on changes. I’m a human that turned into molten metal. I’m a human that looks like a slug. I’m a human that secretes drugs. But you! You think of yourself as a fox first. You’re a supernatural being!”

The ensuing silence was far more anxiety-inducing than the earlier glare. Greg did not like the silent judgment. He kind of wished that it was back to the ‘defend yourself or be smited’ bit.

“Hm… Well thought-out if poorly worded,” Lady Ran murmured before nodding decisively, “I do see your logic.”

Sighing with relief as he passed the invisible test, Greg shot for bonus points, “Also, no omega tattoo.”

“Oh, but it could be under here…” fox-lady cooed, leaning forward and pulling at her collar just a bit to show her collarbone.

Greg had seen enough anime to know peeping was a bad idea and did an immediate about-face. Already blushing, the fox-lady’s laughter only caused him to redden further.

Still giggling, the fox-lady then asked, “What’s your explanation for Shopkeeper-san then?”

Face still red, Greg coughed twice before answering, “He hangs out with you! You’re clearly powerful, but you treat him like an equal. Or at least something that you can’t just destroy. He’s special because you treat him as special.”

Strange logic, but… still sound. Chuckling softly, Lady Ran whispered in falsetto, “Hear that, Shopkeeper-san? You’re special.”

Pinching his nose, Morichika-san sighed, “This is still a risk, Lady Ran. Can you not just… take his memories away? Much less stress for me”

“While Lady Yukari could do so with her control over the boundary of Remembered and Forgotten, I am… much less skilled,” Lady Ran replied. She still sounded chirpy, but she also seemed to be seriously considering the suggestion.

Were his lips supposed to be this dry? Greg probably should’ve listened to his mother and put on chapstick. It was either that or the fact that they were discussing lobotomizing him. Right then and there, Greg decided that he’d rather die than forget anything.

Tilting his head back, the Shopkeeper pinched his nose and groaned. Was he… Oh, shit, maybe he wasn’t seriously considering it, but better safe than sorry.

“If it helps, nobody believes me because I’m too weird!” Greg interrupted, attempting to be helpful, “I would be dead in a ditch if I didn’t live in this day and age! As is, I am very close to being found in a dumpster! So if you need to hide my body at any point, I’m very easily hidden.”

There was an awkward silence. Licking his lips, Greg wondered if he maybe shouldn’t have advertised how killable he was.

…Hm, nah. This was a good idea. Sure, he was weighing the pros and cons after the fact, but the way Greg saw it, he got to either join a cool conspiracy, get killed by cool conspiracy, or be lobotomized

Better to die now, spectacularly and remembering that fantasy was real, then forget anything at all.

===============

Amidst the awkward silence, Ran mused that perhaps she was the only one collected enough to not be bothered by the little weasel’s strange… tip? Admission. Even the child himself looked shocked at his own disregard for life, but judging from the shaky but firm grin he donned quickly after, he acknowledged and accepted his own madness.

That was a point to his usefulness, strangely enough. A bit of insanity was expected- no, required to play with myths.

“Why do you sound so happy about that!?” Morichika-san snapped, “That’s not something to boast about!”

Swapping away from the Inarizushi to focus on her drink, Ran simply sipped her tea. Gensokyo had been… would be a land for the lost and forgotten, but Morichika-san’s Kourindou was special in that it collected the things abandoned twice over. Items, lost and forgotten, witchlings abandoned by their fathers and shunned from the village, a little orphaned shrine maiden, so many things discarded in a land of discarded things found themselves drawn to the Shopkeeper to be repaired and stored and cherished. This little weasel was proving himself to be no different than the usual guests and wares of the Kourindou.

It was still… a bit pitiful, Ran supposed, To see idle despair envelop one so young. This one would probably have simply drifted along, finding short joys to flit to until it died if it hadn’t found the Kourindou.

“Because if I make myself seem sad enough,” the little weasel puffed himself up, “you’ll pick me up as an apprentice!” Reaching into his bag again, he brought out a book with a familiar puzzle emblazoned on the top, “I noticed you enjoyed Rubik’s Cubes, so I brought a gift for you. The first half has the history of the Rubik’s Cube and the second half are guides on how to solve them from the 2X2X2 all the way up to the 7X7X7.”

Having just sipped, Ran choked on her tea, surprised at the sheer whiplash. Here she was, pondering over how to best use this new and enthusiastic piece and here he was already doing the work.

Coughing and laughing in equal breaths, Ran found herself pleasantly bewildered. This child… Oh, this child had audacity to rival even the Fool! Imagine, coming into danger, answering a kitsune’s questions with barely a shiver, and now asking for an apprenticeship in the same breath. She supposed the gift wasn’t meant to offend, but he was all the more entertaining for the accidental faux pas.

Oh, Lady Yukari would have… no, would enjoy this one.

“What happened to working here!?” Morichika-san exclaimed, not quite throwing his hands in the air, but certainly shrugging in a manner that suggested the intent to. “Also, I don’t need this! I can solve it on my own.”

“Yes,” Ran interjected with a straight face, “He’s been solving the same puzzle for about a decade now. He’s awfully close.” For a given definition of close, of course.

Honestly, the puzzle cube was quaint with its 43 quintillion permutations, but the solution was so easy, a mere 20 rotations. She would solve it herself, but then the Shopkeeper would pout for years and be snippy for decades after.

Raising a pointer finger heavenwards, not even deigning to glance at her, Morichika-san grumbled, “Shush, you.”

“I’ll just leave it here then,” the weasel nodded, placing the book right next to the unsolved Rubik’s cube, “You know, it’s awfully rude to reject a gift like that. Well, I’m fine with not working here, but I'll come everyday!”

If Morichika-san didn’t take him, Ran was half-tempted to take him in as a jester. As it was, Morichika-san’s sputters were highly amusing. She didn’t think he’d seen the man so off-tilted since Sumirek-san employed herself at the Kourindou.

“I don’t want you coming everyday! I just--” Morichika-san cut himself off, admirably gathering himself. He tapped a finger on the guidebook for the Rubik’s Cube, “Fine. One chance. As thanks for the… gift. I'll give you a test.”-Reaching under the counter, he pulled out a long metal tube, its shape synonymous with a pen-flashlight albeit with a few buds and nodes here and there, “Recreate this. Or fix it. I don’t care. If you succeed, I’ll take you on. If you don’t, then you will stop bothering me on this.”

Eyes wide, the weasel dashed forward, hands on counter, chin on top of hands, and eyes glittering with gleeful curiosity, “Is that a… Sonic Screwdriver?”

“A facsimile of one, created by one of your resident idiots… Hm, Neat?”

“Do you mean, LEET?” the weasel corrected, tilting his head to the side

“Yes, an inspired idiot of a thief, aided by shards of an alien mind. To be inspired by stories is one thing, but to simply steal wholesale is another. Not an original idea from his head nor an original thing made by his hands, his work insults even a casual craftsman such as I.” Morichika-san boasted. Ran had to cover her impromptu laugh with a cough at the uncharacteristic boast “If you wish to truly be my apprentice, fix this broken thing. Or recreate it. Show me that you can learn the principles to merge fantasy and science together.”

“What?” the weasel protested, “How!? Nobody can replicate Tinkertech. And this is LEET’s stuff! Even he can’t remake his own stuff.”

Pursing her lips, Ran slipped another bite of… Hm, natto. Not a fan of natto on Inarizushi. Finishing it off regardless, Ran shook her head in disappointment. The hesitation at a seemingly impossible task was a point off. The weasel would have to work on losing his common sense.

“Truly?” Morichika-san looked to Ran for confirmation, clearly shocked and appalled at the idea of such incompetence. At her giggling nod, the shopkeeper shook his hand, “This world truly is doomed then.”--Reaching into his sleeve, Morichika-san held out a sleek bamboo pen, an oriental version of the infamous Doctor’s sonic screwdriver--”I found that tool about a month ago and recreated it in half of half a fortnight. Remarkably useful tool with how many purposes it can fill with how it manipulates molecules with vibrations; from cutting and carving to welding and manipulation. I still prefer the old-styled ones specialized for their individual tasks, but I plan on keeping this one for any situations that come in a pinch.”--Tucking the Oriental-styled sonic screwdriver away, the Shopkeeper steepled his fingers together and leaned forward to cause his spectacles to gleam eerie white, “Any apprentice of mine needs to, at the bare minimum, be able to fix such a thing.”

“Does it work?” the weasel asked, already knowing the answer judging by the sparkling awe in his eyes.

“Does it work?” Morichika-san uncharacteristically scoffed, scowling with the pride of a master craftsman offended. A flick of his wrist and he held the sonic screwdriver. Pointing it at a vase, he activated it to a whir. A hum filled the air, and the vase wobbled and toppled to the ground with a crash. He then pointed it at the table three times, burning a hole, carving a hole, and then fixing both holes.

Flicking it off, Morichika-san huffed, “Of course, it works. I may be a simple and casual craftsman in my spare time, but at least I actually know and understand my foundations unlike your capes and Tinkers that simply create a poor quality copy without the barest bones of comprehension.”

“You broke your own vase, you know?” Ran commented idly, “Aren’t you worried about the loss of money? Not that you really sell anything.”

“It’s fine,” Morichika-san waved off the kitsune’s comment, picking up the shards to examine, “That wasn’t… That was one of the expensive ones. Hopefully, it wasn’t part of a… Damn. It was part of a set.”

Setting aside Morichika-san’s mutterings on the broken vase and his best efforts to discourage him, Ran found herself examining the child. Previously furtive and unfocused, his gaze was sharpened with want, maddening want and desire for… something.

Licking her lips to savor the sauce of the Inarizushi, Ran grew a… bit concerned. This sort of madness was double-edged. That first idle daydream of this child helping in the recreation of Gensokyo seemed closer to the truth than expected, but… if he did not obtain his desires, he may become a problem, an… Incident to be resolved.

Gensokyo would return regardless, but with ease or with grit was the question.

And while Ran had found the Weasel’s casual disregard for his own life comedic, she also found it… concerning. Combine that with this and… Hm… Perhaps they could use this. They’d have to fix that suicidal ideation, but if the world did not want this child, then Gensokyo would gladly claim him.

“Be kinder, Morichika-san,” Ran murmured, deciding to gamble on obtaining a native of this world for their cause, “He deserves an actual chance to be your apprentice.”

Raising an eyebrow, Morichika-san didn’t quite growl, “...You only like him because he brought Inarizushi.”

“A gift given is a boon earned in our circles, Shopkeeper-san.”

Nodding frantically, the little weasel hopped up and down, “I gave Lady Ran seven inarizushi! Surely, that’s enough for seven decades of teaching!”

A point for comedic timing. Clapping her hands, Ran giggled, “Oh, the little weasel doth make sense.”

“If by sense, you mean absolute nonsense, then yes, I suppose he doth maketh sense.” Rinnosuke groaned before slamming a hand on the counter, “No, absolutely not. Seven decades!? You’d be dead by then! I refuse to teach you for the entirety of your life. Seven days.”

“Seven days? Seven days? Seven days for Inraizushi?” the little weasel asked, affronted,“They’re Inarizushi! Rare, Japanese delicacies!”

“Are you- Are you hearing yourself!?” Morichika-san pinched his brow, “They’re Inarizushi! No better than kappamaki! They’re cheapest of the cheap!”

“You’d infuriate the kappa if they heard you! Assuming kappa are real?” The little weasel looked at both of them and grinned at the affirming nod that Ran gave, “Then you’d infuriate the kappa for insulting kappamaki and the kitsune for insulting Inarizushi! Also, the Rainbow Inarizushi set costs 12$ since I got them from the specialty sushi shop at the Boardwalk and not the shitty 7-11 ones, so they better be good for the price that I brought them at. They taste really good too, sO I think it’s worth it. Not the point!” The little weasel slapped himself to refocus. He then turned to look at Ran beseechingly, “Lady Ran, do you truly consort with somebody with such a small-minded view like this?”

Ran sighed dramatically, feigning a swoon with a hand draped over her head, “I am ashamed to admit that, yes… Yes, I do. Perhaps I’d find better company with you? Your taste in inarizushi is certainly to be commended.”

“Really, Lady Ran? Really?” Morichika-san grumbled, massaging the bridge of his nose, “Seven weeks then. Seven weeks I’ll teach you the basics of arcane crafting, but no more.”

“Seven years!”

“Seven years would already be an apprenticeship by that point!” Morichika-san slapped the table, “This is a test to obtain an apprenticeship! Seven moons and no more! Seven moons to learn and pass my test!”

Leaping forward and grabbing the hand on the table in two hands to give a vigorous shake, the weasel nodded his head in time with the shaking, practically vibrating in place, “Seven moons is more than enough! Looking forward to learning from you, Morichika-sensei! Thank you, Lady Ran. I’ll be sure to buy seven times the amount of today’s inarizushi in thanks!”

“Polite in your cleverness, and still so genuine in your respect. Hold those with you and you’ll go far, little weasel,” Ran chuckled before taking a bit of another inarizushi. Ooh. Salmon topping this time. What a way to improve the perfection of inarizushi. She waved a hand as she savored the food,  “Now best run along before your new master obtains the sense to even try to object.”

“Hai, Lady Ran!” the weasel… No, Greg answered, bowing deeply. Then turning to his new master, he bowed again,  “I’ll be coming by everyday after school from now on to learn, Morichika-sensei! See you soon!”

He then ran off. Licking her fingers, Ran mused that perhaps it was a bit impulsive and risky to let such a child in. Then again, impulsiveness was a part of the foundation of Gensokyo.

“...What just happened?” Morichika-san asked, bewildered by the sheer nonsense that just happened.

Looking at his face, wide eyes behind full-moon spectacles, Ran laughed. She had to. It had been building up, buried underneath the sadness, and with something so… so funny, it simply burst.  It ached in a strange way to laugh so hard, but it was a good ache. This wasn’t quite an Incident, but it felt like the start of one and how she missed those and the gatherings after.

To see such enthusiasm for life and its hidden fantasies, to see that dogged pursuit succeed for one so… small… Rebuilding Gensokyo felt doable. It felt… It felt doable.

“You’ve gotten yourself an apprentice, Morichika-sensei,” Ran sighed, wiping a stray tear from her eye and patting her… her friend’s shoulder, “By the looks of it, he’s a slyer salesman than you too.”

Having said her piece, the kitsune then left, leaving the Shopkeeper alone with his wares and the dreadful dawning of a realization of yet another responsibility on his plate.