It's non canon time again.

Miko took a sip of her sake as the slow dance Kokoro was performing reached its end. The crown prince couldn't call it a good performance without the music, however Kokoro was a masterful performer. And Miko had to admit she shared a certain nostalgia for the old forms. After all, she'd created most of them.

It helped that the mask youkai could stir the emotions of her audience just by changing her expression. Though the young girl had been good about keeping her power under control after that last battle.

She politely clapped along with the other two occupants of the shrine. While Kokoro's dances had drawn in many people to start, the novelty had worn thin quickly. Especially since Kokoro wasn't using her full power to influence people. Now the only viewers were herself, the shrine maiden, and the leader of the Myouren temple. Probably because each of them felt a responsibility towards the young youkai.

Kokoro bowed. "Thank you." The mask youkai moved over to where her cup had been set aside and held it out. "Can I get a drink before the next act?"

"Of course," Miko replied. She'd already heard Kokoro's desire, so she'd gotten the bottle ready in advance. She carefully filled the girl's cup, then emptied the last of the bottle into her own. "Ah, and it seems we're out."

"Again? Stupid Suika running in here to grab some extras." Reimu looked around to find a survivor of the one youkai horde, but the oni had managed to clear out the whole shrine interior. Reimu sighed and picked up the empty bottle. "I'll go grab another."

"Thank you," Kokoro and Miko both replied.

Byakuren nodded her head. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble could you get some water as well for me?"

Reimu waved over her shoulder as she walked out. "Right, right."

"Hm…" Kokoro tilted her head at the nun. "Um, I'm somewhat curious."

Byakuren blinked. "About what?"

"Since you're a magician, can't you cure alcohol poisoning? Why don't you just do that so you can drink with others?" Kokoro asked.

"It's not about drinking with others." Byakuren raised a finger to emphasize the point. "It's about maintaining certain standards and holding to them. The goal is not to get stuck within the details of the world."

"I see," Kokoro nodded before drinking her own sake and returning to the stage.

Miko couldn't pass up the opportunity. "It's too bad though. It would be a lot easier to gain converts among the youkai if you could join them in their revelry. Drinking is such a big part of Gensoukyo. Perhaps if you picked a different sect to work with for a while you could join the fun?"

Byakuren pouted and turned back towards the stage. "I would prefer it if you refrained from teasing me about my vows." Miko chuckled. She still didn't think much of Buddhism, but she had to admit flustering her religious rival was good fun.

Still it was probably best to not press her on and off foe. She returned her attention to Kokoro's preparations. The youkai girl didn't need to change her masks, but her other props required a little more finesse, especially props more complex than the fans and naginata. Miko had made a game of figuring out which dance Kokoro was likely to perform based on the props. Currently Kokoro was knotting a rope which meant...

Miko blushed as she remembered which dance required that. "Ah. Well I suppose for completeness' sake that dance has to be included."

Byakuren turned back at Miko's statement. "Hm? Is this not a good one? I didn't think you'd be so critical of one of your own creations."

"Well it is not a bad dance per se just..." Miko coughed and threw back her last cup of sake. "Each of the dances was to call upon and placate a certain emotion. The obvious ones are joy, hatred, anger and pride. But it would be foolish to ignore some of the baser emotions."

"This dance is to placate the emotion of lust," Kokoro stated bluntly, before hiking up her skirts and beginning a wildly spinning dance. Miko mentally noted that the young woman's skirt made the motions a great deal more flashy than the traditional costume that was normally used for these performances.

Byakuren flushed deeply and shifted in her seat. "Toyosatomimi no Miko, what have you been teaching that young girl? I understand that some instruction in carnal matters is important, but this is..."

"The rituals needed to cover all the strongest emotions," Miko protested. "And while I admit the dance is somewhat cruder than is widely accepted these days, at the time it was totally reasonable."

Byakuren raised an eyebrow as Kokoro shifted roles to the drunk's part and began to use the rope prop. "Really? That there was reasonable?"

Miko coughed in embarrassment. "Well I might have been pushing the envelope a bit at the time." She fanned herself to cool her cheeks. "At the time I thought it might be a good idea to assure the public it was a farce as opposed to leaving it questionable. I thought overacting would be the best way of doing that."

Byakuren sniffed. "Really? I find that excuse hard to believe from someone who never got married, while taking so many concubines."

"What!" Miko started at the accusation. "It would have been rather difficult to keep my gender hidden if I had gotten married. And I didn't have many concubines! Just Tojiko and-"

"Ha!" Miko couldn't help but flinch as Byakuren jabbed a finger at her. "And what about seducing one of your most fervent supporter's wives?"

Miko's retort faded on her lips as a stray desire wandered to her ears. *Teasing her really is fun. I want to see her blush even more.* She slowly smiled as the pieces fell into place. If that was how the game was going to be played….

"That is an unfair accusation. I seduced Futo long before she was married. Do I sense some jealousy, Lady Hijiri?" Miko fought to keep from laughing as Byakuren's disapproval shifted to surprise.

"Jealousy?" Byakuren shook her head. "You think rather highly of yourself oh crown prince."

"I cannot deny I am somewhat prideful." Miko smiled and leaned forward, causing Byakuren to lean back slightly. "But I know your true desires. You're jealous of our ability to enjoy our relationship."

Byakuren turned away, blushing. "I, I don't know what you're talking about."

"No?" Miko shrugged lightly. "You're surrounded by a number of beautiful supporters, all of whom seem to have great interest in you personally. But your personal rules prevent you from accepting their affections."

Miko's smile widened as Byakuren blushed more. For some reason she really wanted to tease the gradient haired beauty before her. "Of course I would never question the strength of your convictions. Even though that Ichirin does have quite the fine figure. A pity that you've never been able to-"

A flash of desire was the only warning Miko had before she found herself on her back, her monologue cut off. Byakuren loomed above her, the magician's distraught grimace replaced by a predatory smile. "You seem to be making a few mistakes crown prince. You see, I have in the past gotten much closer to my admirers. I was a witch after all. Even today I consider myself more of a practitioner then a nun." Miko shuddered as Byakuren's hot breath whispered in her ear, "And I prefer handsome girls."

It seemed she had lost this round. Still she was smiling as she took off her earmuffs. "My my. Such interesting desires you have hidden in your mind. Are practitioners of Buddhism allowed to do such things?"

"Technically no." Byakuren leaned against her. "But I have to make sure you're embarrassed enough to not spread rumors later."

"How conniving," Miko sighed as she leaned up to kiss the magician.

"Crown prince!"

"Lady Hijiri!"

The two started and turned their heads to see what the commotion was. Standing there in the doorway looking shocked were Tojiko and Shou. Miko felt her heart sink to her stomach. There was no way to explain this, but she had to try. "Um. Tojiko, you see-"

Lighting began to crackle around Tojiko as the ghost woman's anger rose. "I see all right!" She jabbed a finger at them. "I see you letting that large breasted Buddhist woman have her way with you, without having the common decency to tell me about it first!" Miko and Byakuren blinked as Tojiko's tone suddenly shifted. "How dare you go off and have this kind of fun without me. I'm your only, surviving-er, remaining concubine am I not?!"

"Indeed. And Lady Hijiri, how could you jeopardize the temple's standing like that? While I can't begrudge you your choice in partners, given the status between our two sects it is important for you to have someone trustworthy nearby."

Miko felt her cheeks flushing again as she felt another wave of desires hit her. Shou's were new to her, but she knew Tojiko's very well. "I believe we're about to be punished for our errors, Byakuren."

"Yes. Yes, you are," Tojiko said sweetly.

The magician woman shivered. "Oh. My."

"It's for your own good," Shou said as the two approached with gleaming eyes. There was no escape. Not that either of them wanted to, of course.

Still Miko couldn't help feeling they had forgotten something in the moment.

"Why are you sealing off my shrine?" Reimu yelled.

Patchouli spared the angry miko a quick glance to make sure violence wasn't going to erupt before turning back to her wards. "To save Gensoukyo from a disaster the likes that has never been seen before."

Marisa frowned at that. "Is that the magician thing you told me about? Because I kinda remember…."

"HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!" Patchouli's glare caused the black white witch to hop back in shock. That matter covered she turned towards Koakuma. "Are the seals working properly?"

Koakuma sighed. "Yes, sadly. You should be able to reinforce them as well, though with mages of that caliber it'll be at least a day before we can do a cleansing ritual."

"I hope the participants don't have to stay away for that," Yukari said. "It would really cut into Ran's sleep." The kitsune grumbled from where she was helping Koakuma fix up the barriers.

"Okay, big incident. Sure. Why don't I just beat it up?" Reimu asked while swinging her gohei about.

Patchouli sighed. "This incident is mental in nature. Violence would be of no use."

"The bean sprout is correct," Yukari said as Reimu's expression soured. "I'm afraid we'll have to solve this the long way."

"What about the other people that were in the shrine? Shou and that crazy ghost girl went in right before you started yelling about seals," Nazrin asked sharply. "How do we get them out?"

"It's too late for them! No escape~!" Koakuma replied with a dazzling smile. "We'll just have to let them-koah!" Patchouli whapped her familiar on the head with a book.

She turned to the mouse youkai. "They should survive. Keine should be able to handle any other issues."

The mouse youkai looked unconvinced. "How will that schoolteacher help?"

"The less people know the better." Patchouli replied, giving Marisa a sharp glare to keep the other magician from opening her mouth again. Marisa grimaced, but kept quiet for once.

"I'm still not sure how it happened." Ran muttered as she finished up a rune. "Given the two people in question it seems highly improbable a resonance would occur."

Patchouli shrugged. "Not my department I'm afraid." She turned her attention back to the runes around the shrine. The crowds still lingered, but the way their conversation was going it seemed they would soon break up and get back to drinking.

Still it was a good question. Patchouli pondered it a bit.

"Oi, Marisa." Her thoughts interrupted, Patchouli turned to see the kassha from the hot springs incident approaching the black white witch. "You seen Koishi anywhere?"

Kokoro fanned herself as she tiptoed towards the back exit of the shrine. Using her emotion powers to stir up the passion in the room had been intended just as a bit of petty revenge. But things had snowballed far beyond what she'd intended. She'd expected a bit of blushing and maybe a few sparks. Not… what was currently loudly occurring in the front of the shrine.

Still she'd only inflamed the passion. They'd done the acting. She might have stayed around to watch a little too long, but that was perfectly normal wasn't it? After all she was still getting used to these emotions. Given what she'd seen it was natural to be hot and bothered.

Very hot and bothered.

Kokoro fanned herself again and quickened her pace. She needed to get out before her influence was noticed. She would escape, find somewhere nice quiet and secluded and… and….

"Wha?!" Kokoro yelped as a green and yellow blur appeared out of nowhere and struck her. She found herself looking up at the face of her eternally smiling nemesis as the young satori straddled her waist.

Koishi waved down at her. "Hi~. You look really cute right now."

Kokoro briefly wondered what she'd accidentally unleashed. But those thoughts quickly faded as the two youkai kissed.