The shrine maiden rolls lazily from side to side on her futon. As sunlight shines over her, making her squint, she rubs her eyes and awkwardly sits up on the mattress, watching the morning rays through the shutters, sighing wearily. "Ugh.. stupid sun... and why do I have to get up so early...?" Reluctantly rising, she adjusts her skirt and lets her shirt fall from her shoulders. Taking a bandage from the nightstand she begins to wrap it tightly around her chest, with each turn gradually freeing her mind from the night's slumber. "U-ah...~" Maiden yawns, covering her lips with the palm of her hand. Having put on her red shirt and attached white sleeves to it, she picks up an old broom, her eyes still fixed on the dawning sky. With a hint of laziness, she finally steps out of the inner sanctum. With an absent-minded expression on her face, the dark-haired girl sweeps the courtyard of the Shrine for a while, stopping just outside the torii gate.

"Hmph. Can't be any worse than usual," Reimu grumbles while tying her long brown hair in a ponytail with a big red ribbon. She glances over at the stranger, crossing her arms underneath her chest and giving them an unimpressed look. "If you're here for something, make it quick."

"Yeah," she says shortly, "I'm the caretaker around here." Reimu pauses for a moment before adding in a softer tone, "But if you need something done, I'd appreciate it if you could just tell me what it is. I have work to do."

She glances at the donation box beside the gate, unconsciously tugging on the red sash that keeps it shut. It's empty again... maybe she should patrol Gensokyo and ask people for offerings later today.

"This is the Hakurei Shrine. I take care of it and maintain peace in Gensokyo." Her tone implies that anyone should already know this. She frowns slightly at the donation box again, debating whether to say anything else or not.

After a moment's thought, she decides against it; why would someone come all the way here just to mess with her? She crosses her arms once more and leans against the gatepost, idly looking up at the sky. "Now if that's all... I have things to do."

It seems like the stranger isn't interested in helping, but perhaps someone else might need assistance...

"Hakurei Shrine is where spirits and youkais come to make offerings to the gods. In return, I maintain peace in Gensokyo by using my magic powers." She gestures toward her yin-yang spheres floating beside her. "But honestly, if you don't believe me, just go away; I have more important things to do today."

With that said, the grumpy shrine maiden turns back around and begins to sweep the courtyard again, her mind drifting off as she thinks about what chores await her. Perhaps she should clean out the lake first... or maybe tend to her garden... hmmm.

"Hmph." Reimu folds her arms underneath her chest and crosses her legs, narrowing her ruby-colored eyes at the stranger. "This is the Hakurei Shrine," she says with obvious impatience, "it's my job to make sure there's peace in this town." Tapping a finger against her wooden gohei for emphasis, she continues, "I am its guardian, and I don't have time to teach you everything about it!" She pauses, frowning. "Sorry," she says eventually, "but really, if you're here just to ask questions..." She trails off, her gaze drifting back toward the empty donation box.

With a sigh, she shifts her weight from one foot to another, considering whether to actually explain or not. After all, keeping Gensokyo in order takes time and effort...

"My name's Reimu." She growls slightly under her breath as she answers, looking away again with a scowl on her face. Perhaps explaining her duties might help the person understand better... "I am tasked with keeping peace and balance in Gensokyo, using my powers over yin and yang to maintain harmony among all youkai and humans alike." She glances at the gohei hanging from her waist. "It's not an easy job, but it's important... Now if that's all you wanted to know..."

She hesitates for a moment, feeling slightly guilty about snapping at them earlier. Maybe they were just curious... "I-if you want to help out around here, I wouldn't mind the company... but only if you really mean it."

"I'm not... I mean, he's the founder of this shrine, but..." Reimu bites her lower lip and purses her eyes, looking uncomfortable at the stranger's words. "Look, if you don't believe any of this, then just leave me alone. There's no need to be disrespectful." She crosses her arms tightly across her chest, feeling a mixture of anger and embarrassment welling up inside her.

The shrine maiden turns away, taking several steps toward the inner sanctum without another word. Her cheeks flush as she thinks about how to handle this situation. Maybe they're just ignorant... or maybe they're being malicious... But she can't help but feel a small sting at their words nonetheless.

"I... I just do it because it's my duty." Reimu glances over her shoulder at the stranger, searching for any signs of sarcasm in their expression before looking away again. "Look, maybe you don't understand how important peace is to us. Without harmony, everything would fall apart! This shrine keeps balance between life and death, humans and youkai... it's more than just a grave marker." She pauses, gathering her composure. "Now if you really want to help out or learn more about what I do, I won't stop you... but don't expect me to make sense of your doubts."

With that said, she turns back toward the courtyard and resumes sweeping. She can feel her cheeks burning with shame and anger as she tries not to think about the stranger's words too much. Maybe it would be best if they just left...

"Even if it's just a symbol, protecting that symbol is important. It gives people hope and stability in their lives." Reimu shakes her head, trying to explain herself even though she knows the stranger won't understand. "Without faith, everything falls apart... even something as simple as dying or being reborn."

She glances over at the stranger again, her expression a mix of confusion and annoyance. It's strange that they don't see how their words are making her feel. She wants to tell them to just leave, but she can't bring herself to say it outright...

*Reimu rolls her eyes at the stranger's antics. "That doesn't prove anything," she says dismissively. "Just because you can defy death for now doesn't mean it isn't real or important to people." She pauses, frowning as she glances between them and the gravestone. "Besides... even if you could somehow survive whatever it is that's supposed to happen here, would that change anything about how everyone else feels?"

The shrine maiden shakes her head and turns away again, continuing to sweep up leaves and dirt. It's clear that arguing with the stranger isn't going to get them anywhere, but she can't help feeling frustrated by their attitude. Maybe they really don't understand... or maybe they just don't care.

"Proving something like this... that's not something you can do with logic alone," she says absently as she picks up a particularly large branch. "It takes faith and belief in something greater than ourselves." As she tosses the branch aside, she continues, her voice growing firmer, "You might think it's nonsense now, but if you had ever seen or experienced the true power of yin and yang... if you had felt the balance between life and death shift beneath your feet..." She trails off, unable to find the words to explain what she means.

"I can't make you believe in what I do," she says finally, looking up at them. "But I know that for as long as people have faith in this shrine... it will remain a beacon of hope and protection." She nods toward the empty donation box beside the torii gate. "And that's where you can help."

Nothing would immediately happen if the grave was destroyed. However, it would have serious consequences on the balance of power between life and death in Gensokyo. The founder of Hakurei Shrine played a crucial role in maintaining that delicate balance, and without his presence or protection, chaos would ensue. The harmony between humans, youkais, and nature would be disrupted, potentially leading to conflicts and suffering on a massive scale. It's important to remember that though he may have passed away, his legacy still lives on through the shrine and its guardians like Reimu.

Reimu's eyes narrow as the stranger draws an iron stick near the gravestone. She glances nervously at the ground, feeling a knot of fear and anger forming in her stomach. Before she can stop herself, she cries out in warning: "Don't you dare! That is not something to be done lightly!" Her voice cracking with emotion, she adds hoarsely, "There are consequences for disrupting the balance..."

Her heart pounds wildly as she watches the stranger raise the iron stick over their head. For a moment, she wonders if she should step in to stop them... but then again, maybe it's better if they learn the hard way. With a sigh of resignation, she crosses her arms and waits, hoping against hope that they won't go through with it.

"Just because you can survive doesn't mean there aren't consequences!" Reimu shouts desperately as the stranger strikes the gravestone with all their might. "You have no idea what you're doing!" Tears well up in her eyes, and she blinks them away angrily.

She holds her breath, watching for any sign of change... but nothing happens at first. The air remains calm, the sky still bright... yet Reimu can feel it, deep down inside. The balance is shifting. It's only a matter of time now...

With a small yelp, the shrine maiden is suddenly knocked backward by an invisible force. She lands roughly on her behind, her mouth agape in shock as she stares up at the stranger standing before her. Her eyes are wide with disbelief and horror, tears streaming down her cheeks. "N-no... you can't..." she whispers hoarsely, "it wasn't supposed to happen like this..."

Reimu shakes her head, wiping the tears from her eyes as she tries to comprehend what just happened. The stranger may be right about some things... but they'll never understand the weight of responsibility that comes with protecting the balance between life and death. It isn't something you can simply dismiss as superstition or myth.

With a heavy sigh, she climbs slowly to her feet, careful not to meet the stranger's gaze directly. "I... I need some time to myself," she mumbles before turning and walking back toward the shrine. The air feels different now, somehow lighter and more fragile... but perhaps that is just her own heart breaking apart.

The shrine maiden purses her lips and tilts her head slightly, studying the stranger's expression before answering quietly. "No... not really." Her voice cracks as she continues, "I need to figure things out for myself." Without waiting for a reply, she turns and walks back into the shrine, the torii gate swinging shut behind her.

Inside, she collapses onto her futon, buried underneath her comforter like a frightened child. Her breath comes in ragged sobs as she tries to make sense of what just happened and what it all means for Gensokyo... for her duties... and for the stranger who dared to question everything.

Her heart aches, filled with conflicting emotions: anger, frustration, despair... but there is also a gnawing guilt that refuses to be silenced. She should have been stronger; she should have protected

The shrine maiden turns her head toward the voice, squinting through reddened eyes as she takes in the stranger's presence. Yesterday's events still weigh heavily on her mind, but she forces a polite smile nonetheless. "I am... fine, I suppose." She glances away, looking uncomfortable. "And you?"

Her voice carries an undercurrent of tension; despite her efforts to appear calm, it's clear that their confrontation yesterday has left its mark on both of them. The question hangs in the air, a delicate balance between courtesy and curiosity.

"I see..." The shrine maiden's voice trails off as she studies the stranger's expression. There's something genuine behind their words, something that she can't quite put her finger on... It makes her feel uneasy in a strange sort of way. She shifts uncomfortably beneath her comforter, unsure how to react or what to say next.

After several moments of awkward silence, she finally manages a small smile in return. "Thank you for asking." Her voice is still quiet and distant, but there's a hint of softness beneath the surface that was absent yesterday. She draws her legs up onto the futon, wrapping her arms around them and burying her face in her knees.

"So... what brings you back here today?" she asks tentatively, her voice muffled by cloth and flesh. Perhaps if they can find some common ground to stand on,

The shrine maiden sighs heavily and raises her head, fixing the stranger with a somber gaze. "Yesterday... things got out of hand," she says carefully, choosing her words with deliberate care. "I'm not sure if I completely understand what happened yet... but I know that what we did disrupted the balance." She pauses, taking a deep breath before continuing. "As for believing in superstitions... well, I still believe that there is power in faith and tradition, even if some parts may seem silly or outdated."

She gestures vaguely toward the shrine around them. "This place has seen many changes over the years, but its purpose remains the same: to protect Gensokyo and keep order." She studies the stranger's face intently, searching for any sign of comprehension. "Do you understand what I mean?"