The wind blows unceasingly outside a dimly lit interiors of a shrine room. Said shrine room looks typically neat and tidy, but underneath a table that doubles as a bed of sorts called a kotatsu, Reimu Hakurei was lying underneath the covers wide awake, her eyes feeling empty as the irises had gone into a faded color. Sadly, the lack of sleep isn't the only factor that is coming to her mind.

Why don't they understand the pain I'm going through, even after all I did so much for the sake of Gensokyo? Reimu questioned internally, her eyes starting to tear up. Yet I had to suffer deeply thanks to that Incident some time ago.

Not wanting to wake up exhausted, Reimu attempted to close her eyes and willed herself to sleep, yet as she attempted this a couple of times there has been the same results: not being able to truly fall asleep thanks to a nagging in her head.

A nagging that starts to grow the more the shrine maiden continues to ignore.

Reimu gets out of the kotatsu and sees a bell lying at a corner of the shrine room itself. Though the bell itself looks surprisingly new and untouched on top of a purple pillow, she knew better than to take lightly of that foreign object inside her shrine. But as of recent, the shrine maiden started to ponder about the purpose of the bell itself that had been given to her not so long ago.

A few weeks ago

"Ahh, that some good tea, ze," Marisa Kirisame sighed in relief as she sipped a cup of tea.

Reimu, while having that trademark expression on her face (being her blank look), was at least kind enough to pour some of her home-brew tea to the self-proclaimed youkai hunter as she drank some of her cup of tea, the two of them wearing what appears to be typical outfits for the cold weather.

However, after Marisa drank her cup until it was completely empty, she put it onto the table while giving off the trademark smirk on her face. "So, any Incidents you resolved as of recent?"

"Not that much," Reimu answered as she gently places her cup onto the table. "So far all of them were pretty simple to handle. Even some of them range from stopping a group of fairies from pelting snowballs at the villagers, preventing Cirno from doing another one of her stunts . . . again, helping Eirin with medicine gathering. . . "

"Eirin asking you for help?" Marisa chirped out over the Eientei Doctor. "I thought she asked Reisen for help."

"Apparently Reisen was sick and Eirin needed someone to aid her in making more medicine to stock up." Reimu stated like it was the weather. "At least I was compensated for helping her out.

"But anyway, that's it so far in Incident resolving," Reimu replied as she poured some more tea from her ceramic pot.

The shrine room looked quiet for the moment between the two young women sitting on opposite sides of the gazebo.

"Anything else you have in mind today Reimu?" Marisa asked.

"Ufufufufufufufufuu, what in particular?" a very familiar voice echoed the room.

Both Reimu and Marisa looked around for the voice until they saw above the roof in shock to the last person they want to see today: Yukari Yakumo, who had stuck her head upside down the roof using one of her gaps with a mischievous look on her face.

"What do you want Yukari?" Reimu growled, not expected the gap youkai to appear in the Hakurei shrine, nonetheless in a way that, were it be someone unfamiliar to Yukari and her ability to summon gaps, expect screams of fear and panic to ensue.

Yukari tilted her head slightly to her left (or right for Reimu and Marisa seeing her), though her expression did not. "I was checking to see how things are up to, Reimu. Besides, it's good to receive update every now and then."

"You don't have to do that, gap hag!" Marisa shouted.

"Do what?"

"Pop up like that!"

In response, Yukari got back inside her gap before opening another one on the floor for her to pop in, head and all. "Sorry, it's what I enjoy doing."

Reimu and Marisa, however, were not impressed one bit.

"So anyway, another thing I came here for is a surprise present to Reimu herself," Yukari stated as she changed the topic.

"What is it this time?" Reimu groaned for one of the gap hag's 'presents.'

"Nothing much," Yukari said before clapping her hands.

Without warning, a gap opens up around the kotatsu Reimu and Marisa were sitting at until an object starts emerging within the gap itself.

Both Reimu and Marisa stared cautiously until the object itself reveals to be a small golden bell sitting upright on a purple pillow. How said bell start pulling out of the gap they did not want to know. But what did they want to know is the bell itself?

"So, you basically gave me a bell, right?" Reimu deadpanned towards Yukari. "That's so nice of you, isn't it?"

Yukari responded with a light-hearted chuckle for a moment until she composes herself.

"Reimu, this bell is something special for you to use in case of emergencies only." Yukari explained. "I thought it might be something that you may use when the need arises."

Reimu gave the gap youkai a blank look. "You're serious, right?"

Yukari's expression started to change from being mischievous to outright quiet as she looks at the shrine maiden with her solemn purple eyes.

"Reimu, I know you are one of the current Hakurei shrine maidens tasked with maintaining order in Gensokyo and are steadfast in your duties, but that doesn't always mean you're invincible all the time," Yukari stated, her tone unlike what they heard before. "And this extends to enemies that want to hurt you in ways you have little to no choice of handling under normal circumstances."

"Wait, what did you mean by that, ze?" Marisa wondered curiously. "Reimu had been through a lot of stuff before and went out okay. And yeah, I did get involve in lots of her adventures from time to time, but why give her something like this anyway?"

"Marisa," Yukari looked at her with the same tone and expression. "I know you're a great friend to Reimu and always want to aid her in resolving Incidents, but that doesn't always mean you'll be there for her in every situation that pops up."

"Which in other words?"

"If something bad really happens to you, how will Reimu handle something this horrific?"

Yukari's response prevented Marisa from speaking further, unsure how to make of this question.

"Yukari, really?" Reimu stated with a blank tone. "You know I could chat with the others if something bad happens to Marisa. Even I can talk to Suika if she isn't too drunk on sake or whatever drinks she has."

"But say if the presence towards others isn't enough to suffice, or, how about you felt really desperate and talking, nay, interacting with them or anyone in general isn't something you yourself cannot even handle one bit without trying to appear lost and fearful?" Yukari debated. "How will you handle it?"

"Well, I . . ."

"We know that the Human Village tolerated you because of your family lineage and your duties despite not visiting your shrine or make donations, but that doesn't mean all of them are willing to befriend you regardless," Yukari continued. "And while I can understand their reasoning behind this, there comes a point when people at their lowest point needed someone, anyone, to help pull themselves together or at least give them the strength to overcome their suffering."

"So basically?"

"I don't anticipate anyone wanting to try and help you out when you needed it the most, either out of fear of reprisal, general reluctance, doing it out of spite, or uncertainty of what the results would end up." Yukari answered. "While this gift can be useful for a situation like this, how you plan to use it is up to you. But just remember that I will not help you should you try to misuse it; I won't be manipulated if you attempt to use it to mock or lie to me, for I will not aid you when a real emergency comes up.

"So, do you understand, Reimu Hakurei?" Yukari asked in a serious, no-nonsense tone.

Normally, Reimu want to shrug it off as nothing but Yukari acting like usual, but the way she acted and that expression on her face that screams 'I'm not playing around with this!' made her reconsider her typical snide commentary.

But something within her made Reimu start to ponder what Yukari had just stated even further than what she had anticipated.

"Y-yeah . . . I understand," Reimu answered after a moment of silence in response.

"Great," Yukari said, her mood returning back to normal, cheerful self. "I'll just go and resume my nap."

And with that, a gap opens up in front of Yukari as she starts to go inside and do what she normally wants to do.

"Before you leave, how do I contact you with this bell?" Reimu asked.

"Just ring the bell; that's enough," Yukari answered before getting inside her gap before closing it shut.

With Yukari and her gap gone from the interiors of the shrine, it leaves both Reimu and Marisa to themselves in silence as the wind continues to blow outside.

"Is Yukari really this serious?" Marisa wondered, breaking the silence. "Because for a second I thought she might be doing one of her typical stunts to do, ze."

"But given how she acted on why she gave me the bell, I doubt Yukari's joking on this one." Reimu replied, taking a brief glance at the bell itself before looking back at Marisa.

"Regardless, I rather not delve into it that much," Marisa said, until she looks at the bell herself. "Do you think I should have it, ze?"

"I rather think not, Marisa," Reimu answered as she carrying the pillow with the bell onto the corner of the shrine. "I'm not sure how Yukari will react if you or anyone else uses it, but I rather not take any chances with getting on her bad side; we know how powerful she is, and it's best not to get her angry over this."

"Good point," Marisa nodded, not wanting to find out what Yukari could, or better yet, couldn't do if she gets angry enough.

As Reimu gets back to the gazebo, she takes a sip of her tea before looking at Marisa again. "Anything you want talk about other than what had transpired?"

"Just a few."

The present

Those past moments made Reimu look at the bell again, Yukari's words echoing through her mind as she recalled that Incident that made her do something this reckless . . . and what purpose was it for?

Anger?

Fear?

Guilt?

Insanity?

Revenge?

A twisted sense of justice she supposes?

Or perhaps a combination of all the above.

Sure, Reimu can chat with the others and talk like civilized people about her problems, especially with former enemies she actually fought.

But as of recent, Reimu felt increasingly doubtful of how she could react without making herself lose her very own mind or alleviate the very people that befriended her.

Even interacting with the Human Village residents like normal people slowly starts to be out of the question due to Reimu regularly allowing Youkai around her Shrine (something she herself can't fault as of recent) or the reactions the human residents would have towards her.

But with that Incident slowly starting to plague her own mind and the threat of succumbing to depression if not madness, Reimu slowly got out of her gazebo with her white and red yukata before walking towards the bell at the corner.

No longer caring if this could be Yukari's trick or a genuine act, Reimu holds the bell in her delicate hands, and without hesitation, rang the bell several times before feeling confident enough to stop ringing it.

Unsure what just happen, Reimu debated on its' effectiveness until a gap appeared in front of her, revealing to be Yukari herself.

"I heard that bell now," Yukari stated, not acting the way she did normally. "Is there something you needed?"

Reimu's response was to simply hugged Yukari as she started to release her vulnerability, crying and screaming in pure pain and misery as the latter hugs her in return in a motherly manner as the latter gently patted her back.

When it seemed like an eternity between the shrine maiden and the gap youkai, Yukari waited until Reimu finally calms herself down, the latter trying her best not to suffer what was basically an emotional breakdown as her gazed eyes stared into Yukari's own face.

Once certain Reimu pulls herself together, Yukari said this. "Is there something you desperately want?"

In response, Reimu told Yukari everything that happened with that Incident in great detail, at times preventing herself from going into another emotional breakdown until she's confidant in her response.

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Yukari replied, pitying Reimu for what she had gone through. "I know you're a resilient shrine maiden due to your experiences, but I know you needed others to help you whenever possible."

"You're . . . going . . . to . . . help me?" Reimu sobbed tearfully.

"Of course," Yukari answered as a small smile forms in her lips as she patted Reimu's head. "But I'm going to take a week before I can give you something to cope with your pain."

"Are you sure?"

Yukari simply nodded.

"But what I should do?"

"You needed to stay within your shrine and meditate without going outside or letting others get inside," Yukari stated. "And this extends to resolving Incidents."

Normally Reimu would object to not resolving Incidents, but due to the breakdown, she meekly nodded her head. "Yes, I understand."

"And just as a precaution, I will keep the shrine secure enough to deter anyone from coming inside, giving you ample time to rest and meditate; in a way, consider it a break from your duties in more simple terms." Yukari added. "Until you feel comfortable being alone, I'll stay here and keep you company."

"Yes, Yukari." Reimu said.

After what seemed to be a considerable amount of time between Reimu and Yukari hugging each other for the former's emotional support, Yukari look at the Hakurei maiden with a simple question.

"I'm going to let you go now . . . so do you want to allow it?"

"Yes, Yukari," Reimu nodded.

"Alright," Yukari said as she slowly got out of that hug. "Now I will go out and bring a solution you will enjoy for a long time. In return, you will have to continue the Hakurei bloodline for future generations to come. A great task, I can understand, but for Gensokyo's well-being, this has to be necessary for its future. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Yukari." Reimu answered.

"That's great," Yukari nodded as she opens her gap. "Now before I go, you need to rest and meditate for next couple of days until I return. Can you do that that?"

"Yes, Yukari," Reimu said again with a gentle smile on her face.

"That's good," Yukari replied, and she enters into her gap, closing it once she goes inside.

Alone in her shrine room, Reimu Hakurei simply goes into a kneeling position, her hands on her thighs, as she simply meditated what Yukari want her to do, her smile still on her face in contrast to her gazed eyes.