Reimu watched her go, then let out a short laugh. She tucked her gohei away and walked back inside, where the kettle was just beginning to whistle.
Reimu smiled. Iku smiled back.
The clouds above the shrine did not drift—they coiled, slow and deliberate, like a serpent waiting to strike. Reimu Hakurei stood at the center of the courtyard, gohei in hand, her shadow sharp as a blade against the sun-bleached stones. touhou hisōtensoku
They met mid-lunge. Fist against palm, spirit against sky. The shockwave rippled outward, shaking the torii gate and sending a murder of crows shrieking from the treeline.
Then came the spell cards.
“Not bad, shrine maiden. Next time… bring tea.”
Iku moved first. Her shawl unraveled into a ribbon of thunder, lashing forward like a whip. Reimu ducked, spun, and launched a sealing needle—not to strike, but to test. The needle dissolved against Iku’s electric aura, and the air crackled. Reimu watched her go, then let out a short laugh
Here’s a short atmospheric piece inspired by Touhou Hisōtensoku (also known as Scarlet Weather Rhapsody ), capturing its clash of martial arts, weather magic, and emotional tension. Circling Skies, Cracked Earth