Scarlet Soaked Sympathy

[Zer0Axiom]

I've been mulling over this idea for a while and never did anything with it.  Not sure why, but I've resolved to write it now.  Aside from it being long and me being lazy, I hope to be able to complete the basic storyline I have planned.  As for a proper title, I was thinking "Scarlet Soaked Sympathy" since the general story follows the residents of the S.D.M. cast.

The story would unfold in a series of short segments from E.o.S.D. until I.N. time wise.  Some of these segments would be written from a specific perspective to try and establish a type of inner personality and opinion.  Naturally, some segments may overlap as they cover the same events.  As my creative ability is limited, I'll only use a few characters for the first person perspective and employ third person for everything else.

I'd also like to make note of the "Extra Segments" since they are exceptions to the story.  They add to the story without being necessary.  It will also be featuring a miniseries type of short that revolves around a "nameless" faerie.


Outline:
  The tides of time continue to flow.  After an extended period of "peace" graces Gensokyo, shadows proceed to loom over the bright future.  Old and new alike move into the forefront of commotion as Gensokyo becomes a rowdier haven.

   Chapter 1  [Segment 1-25+4]
  Red clouds cover the skies, leaving Reimu to undo the situation before irreparable damage occurs.  With her tag along companion Marisa, they set off to confront the troublesome youkai's petty plans.

   Chapter 2 [Segment 26-??+?]
  With one potential disaster averted, another appears to take its place.  Once again, the heroic duo approaches the Scarlet Devil's mansion to restore peacefulness to Gensokyo.

   Chapter 3 [Segment ??-??+?]
  With the fresh memories of the summer's troubles out of mind, Gensokyo braces for another travesty: a never ending winter.  With Sakuya joining the effort, the trio searches for where Gensokyo's spring has disappeared to.

   Chapter 4 [Segment ??-??+?]
  With spring's gradual return, a new burden reveals itself.  Ghosts have flooded into Gensokyo.  Without an alternative solution, the problem must be brought to the attention of a particular youkai for any resolution to take place.

   Chapter 5 [Segment ??-??+?]
  With spring's grand return, a wave of festivity takes hold of Gensokyo's residents.  The Scarlet Devil, not being an exception, attends the gathering at the Hakurei Shrine while leaving her sister behind.  But with the three most prominent figures away, will the remaining servants be able to enjoy their time together with the younger sister during the extended period of revelry?

   Chapter 6 [Segment ??-??+?]
  Time moves forward for all but the immortal.  The Scarlet sisters have long spent their time unchanged, but for how much longer?  With the memories of past horrors returning to the present, can "love" persevere through the struggle?

   Chapter 7 [Segment ??-??+?]
  With the prolonged winter and shortened spring, summer passes in a flash, but before autumn can be welcomed, the harvest moon must be returned.  With the human unable to notice a difference, it's up to the youkai to seek the guilty and return the splendor of the full moon to the night; whatever the cost.

   Chapter 8 [Segment ??-??+?]
  With the passing of another "disaster," Gensokyo returns to a state of idle peace.  The newly discovered residents invite their recent visitors for an evening game: a guts-trial.  Creeping into the illustrious bamboo forest in the dead of night, what images of fright will be uncovered?



Character Profiles:
   [Names are listed by appearance in their intended order]
   (More characters will be added at a later time)
   <Profiles are subject to sudden changes>

      Main Cast [1st Person Perspective]

   Kirisame Marisa : human magician; competitive and free-spirited girl at the center of attention
As the most common visitor to the Scarlet home, she is reluctant to accept the responsibilities placed upon her from her overly intrusive presence.

   Hong Meiling : youkai sentinel; dutiful gate guard of House Scarlet
Efficient in the arts of combat and little else, she hopes to serve her master to repay a debt of gratitude.

   Sol Arcana [koakuma] : youkai
A daemon of unexplained origin.  She was rescued by Patchouli and given refuge within the Scarlet home.  Inferior to those around her, she strives to become someone worthy of the kindness she's received.

   Remilia Scarlet : vampire master of House Scarlet; "Scarlet Legacy"
As the "Scarlet Legacy," she is the last born in the ancient Scarlet line.  Enduring hardship and loss since her birth, she looks upon the future to erase her long past.

   Flandre Scarlet : vampire
The unnamed "calamity" contained by the "Scarlet Legacy."  She is Remilia's younger sister.  Having survived death's embrace at a young age, she remains as Remilia's true weakness.


      Support Cast [3rd Person Perspective]

   Hakurei Reimu : human miko; dutiful shrine maiden and Gensokyo's fearless protector
As the final member in the Hakurei bloodline, it falls to her to safeguard all of Gensokyo and its citizens.  Blessed with incredible intuition and remarkable potential, she seems lacking in motivation to all but the most attentive.

   Patchouli Knowledge : youkai magician; Scarlet's friend, savant, and resident librarian
Her intrigue of the "Scarlet Legacy" led her to Remilia.  With her extensive magical resourcefulness, she became Remilia's close friend and trusted confidant.  Accepting the name "Patchouli Knowledge," she remains by Remilia's side.

   Izayoi Sakuya : human chief maid; devoted servant of House Scarlet
As an orphan in modern France, she was driven by a need to be useful and became obsessed with "perfection."  After a confrontation with a local devil, she accepted a new life in a new world as "Izayoi Sakuya."


      Other Cast  [No Profiles]

   Rumia : youkai of darkness

   "Lakeside League" : gathering; a gathering from the Misty Lake area

   Cirno : faerie of cold; leader of the "Lakeside League"

   Aqua Marine [daiyousei] : faerie of morning dew; second in command of "Lakeside League"

   "Scarlet Maids" : gathering; a seemingly endless workforce employed to Remilia Scarlet

   Letty Whiterock : winter youkai



I hope you enjoy my madness.

[Zer0Axiom]

    A gentle breeze whistled by as the clouds carried across the sky; not that anyone could see the drifting of the clouds, or even the sky.  As of late, the summer air had been chocked by a thick mist.  It would have been overlooked had it been so simple as "a thick mist," but this was not an ordinary phenomenon.  It diffused the sky and smothered the sun; sending an ominous chill that grasped at the human of Gensokyo.  This was the summer that would be remembered as the Scarlet Mist Incident.

    "I can't believe how thick this fog is!" rambled a small figure in the mist, "I almost got lost getting here!"

    It was none other than Marisa, a witch dressed in black.  She wasn't speaking to herself, or even to no one in particular.  Marisa had braved the near-zero visibility to visit the Hakurei Shrine, or more specifically, the Hakurei Miko.

    "Aside from not being able to see the soft clouds in the blue sky,  I don't think it's a problem," came the miko's reply.  As expected, Reimu was quite nonchalant with her surroundings.  After she took another sip of her tea, she casually added, "Actually, it's considerably cooler now so I'd argue this fog to be an improvement."

    These two made for quite the contrast with one another.  While Marisa was a hard worker that was dedicated to her goals, Reimu was relaxed and aloof in her appearance and objectives.  Even so, it came as a shock to Marisa to hear Reimu's remark.

    "You're joking, right?" Marisa asked with a dumbfounded expression.  It was never a simple task in measuring Reimu's words.

    "Of course I was," Reimu stated drably.  As carefree as she was, Reimu took her few duties as the Hakurei Miko seriously.  Her response brought ease to Marisa, but Marisa's sigh of relief upset Reimu greatly.  Voicing her suspicions, she asked, "You don't think I'm that irresponsible, do you?"

    "Actually," Marisa muttered, "... kinda."

    Left in disbelief, Reimu pondered, "Do you really think so little of me?"

    After helping herself to some of Reimu's tea, Marisa took a seat next to Reimu.  Gazing at the horizon, she muttered, "Really can't see the clouds, huh?"

    "Nope."

    "... nor the sky..."

    "Nope."

    "... or the sun..."

    "No," the tedium of conversation was deadening, but Reimu added, "It's over there."

    Marisa was startled by the serious response and followed to where Reimu was pointing.  Uncertain as to where in the clouded sky the bright sun would be, she called back to Reimu, "Where? Where is it?"

    "Over the horizon," Reimu chuckled as disgust and disdain stirred within Marisa.  It was nightfall, it seemed.

    "I had that one coming, I guess," Marisa mused.  For her part, Marisa was also enjoying herself.  "If Reimu's joking around, she must have a plan," she reasoned.  "So what's the plan this time?" she asked, being the impulsively blunt one of the two.

    "Not that it's any of your business," Reimu chided, "but I figured I'd check things out at night."

    With a look of intrigue, Marisa instinctively asked, "Really?"

    "Of course," Reimu asserted, ever full of confidence, as she proceeded to clean up her home a bit.

    It was rare for Reimu to be wrong about these things, oddly enough, and after finding an opening, Marisa raced off to build a lead over Reimu.  Marisa was consumed with the prospect of fighting stronger opponents to improve her own strength.

    "This Mastermind would have to be powerful to cover all of Gensokyo in mist like this," she surmised, "Might as well go and learn a thing or two."  Without looking back, Marisa darted off into the misty night.

    "By the way, Marisa?" Reimu called out, only to find solitude.  With a sigh, she finished her thought, "Not that I care, but do you even know where to start looking?"  After finishing with her own preparations, Reimu set out into the night as well.

    The night air was brisk and gentle, not that one could notice a difference with the mist so thick.  Regardless, the carefree miko continued her approach to a nearby lake.  It seemed fitting to start there as that was where the mist was thickest.

    Reimu let out a cheerful sigh, "It's great to be outside at night."

    "It sure is," came a reply from a figure coasting alongside her.

    Surprised to find she wasn't alone, Reimu look around for the source of the voice.  It was probably a youkai, and she might have a fight on her hands.  Finding a small shape flying in the mist around her, she asked it, "And you are?"

    "Rumia," was the response.

    The small figure came to a halt in front of Reimu.  From the parting mist, its shape became clearer.  What greeted Reimu was a little girl holding her arms out straight from her shoulders.  With short, golden colored hair and a black dress with white shirt, this Rumia could easily pass as Marisa's twin.  Her bright smile and energetic voice didn't take from the equation.

    "What are you doing?" Rumia ask as she mirrored Reimu's glances.

    "... looking at you?" Reimu halfheartedly answered.

    Although there was no particular rush to be anywhere, the situation could become bothersome.  Reimu tried flying around the youkai, but found that the youkai simply moved into her path while asking, "At me?  You couldn't see me before?"

    As she expected, this youkai had become an annoyance.  Abstaining a sigh, she answered, "Generally, people don't see well at night."

    "Even though there are people out at night?" the bright eyed Rumia inquired.

    "Have them for dinner, if you like," Reimu hastily replied as she tried rushing by again.

    "Is that so?" the youkai mused as she kept in front of Reimu.

    Perhaps she was hoping for too much, but it seemed that confrontation was unavoidable. As she moved back a small distance, Reimu complained, "You know, you're in my way?"

    Completely ignoring Reimu's complaint, Rumia asked, "Are you the kind of person I can eat?"

    Although it had been obvious what Rumia's intentions were, Reimu couldn't help but laugh at the question.  Looking towards Rumia with a smile, Reimu politely chided, "No, I am not."

    Without warning, the youkai lunged forward while releasing a barrage of energy, but Reimu was not without anticipation.  Shifting to her right, she passed through the energy unharmed.  As if by instinct, she thrust her trusty gohei to her left and struck at Rumia's chest.  Following this momentum, Reimu brought up her right knee, and spiraled over to drop her left foot down.

    Rumia had been stopped with pain from the gohei's impact, and could do nothing as Reimu's knee cut over her chin.  That pain was only further amplified as she looked up and saw Reimu's foot come down on her face, but she was not beaten yet.  Reeling from the heel drop, Rumia tried to reposition herself for a reversal; instead, she found an amulet flying directly to her head.  Now spiraling uncontrollably, Rumia struggled against the inertia.  As her eye's regained focus, they met with the ground below.  With a deafening crash, Rumia landed headfirst into the dirt road and lay there unconscious.

    With a triumphant cheer, Reimu had an I-told-you-so smile as she continued onward with her investigation.

[Zer0Axiom]

    "That was a waste!"

    I was angry, furious even.  I bolted from the shine to beat Reimu to the boss, but forgot to ask where that boss would be.  I panned around at the endless haze and helplessly muttered, "What now?"

    Then, inspiration struck.  I scanned the mist once more.  It seemed that the mist to the right was brighter in color than to the left.  When comparing the mist in front and behind, they were about the same.  "If it's brighter, it must be thicker,"  I concluded with a invigorated smile, "It's this way!"

    Zipping around alone at night, I got to thinking about Reimu.  She really is the only person who tolerates me as a "friend."  Being alone like this, I can't help thinking of her.

    Easygoing doesn't even begin to describe her.  She's kinda like a cloud that sails through the sky.  Her smiles are without worry or concern.  It's like she dances around danmaku without losing her tempo.  Maybe this is what gives her a certain charisma that's just great to be around: gentle and strong.

    "If she were here, she'd probably say, 'It's great outside' or something," I mused with a smile; until I heard, "It's great to be outside at night," from a distance in front of me.  My spirits were crushed, again.  It seemed a lost cause; Reimu would always be in the lead, but before I could call out to her, I heard someone else, too.

    My thoughts echoed my doubts, "She's not alone?  Who could it be?  Is it-?! ..."

    I needed to calm down.

    "... no, it's too soon to be anyone significant," I assented to reason, "While she's busy here, I'll get ahead of her."

    With my doubts expelled, I gathered my spirit, "This time for sure!  I'll find the culprit before Reimu can!"

    I circled around them and raced onward.  Eventually, I found myself over water.  "A lake, maybe?  Um, I'm not too sure since I really don't come through here much, but I think there's an island in this lake,"   Since there wasn't much else to find here and the mist was concentrated around this area, I figured this would be the place to look.  "The Mastermind must be here!" I cheered to boost my enthusiasm and charged for this lake's island, or so I thought.

    "I thought the island was around here..." I wondered why I couldn't find a simple island.  I remembered it being close by the bank and was fairly sizable for this particular lake.  There was a big house on it, too, so I don't think it could have shrunk.  Frustrated once more, I blurted out, "It can't move, can it?!"

    At this rate, I'll lose my lead again.  My fighting spirit deflated.  I felt like I was going to cry, but then realized I was reacting to the cold air. "Summer nights are fairly cool, but this is freezing!" I complained as my problems seemed to be accumulating.

    "You'll never reach land again!" a voice greeted me in an unusual manner.

    Glancing around, I noticed a mass of blue scatter some of the mist.  In the increased clearing, the mass of blue took on a more recognizable form.  Although it was "more recognizable," I still didn't know what it was exactly. Then, as a breeze picked up, I noticed it carried freezing air to me from her direction.

    Fighting off the shivers, I stated my observation, "So you were making it all cold."

    "Better cold than hot, right?" the blue figure remarked.

    "If you insist," my words held no interest with the subject.  After thinking it over, the being before me was probably a loudmouthed faerie.  I was certain that they were reputed for leading travelers astray.  My troubles really had accumulated; into her.

    "Something's not right," she seemed to be contemplating something.

    "Makes you wonder, huh?" I mused while thinking, "It's not right to have a faerie in thought."

    "You should be more scared!" the faerie asserted.

    "Really...  I should?"  That was what was off?  It didn't make sense, but then faeries don't really make sense.  I really shouldn't poke at things like this, but I added, "Why is that?"

    "Because I'm the strongest!" she boasted with confidence.

    I couldn't help but laugh.  Her?  Strongest?  I've seen twigs more intimidating than her.  Granted, I'm referring to the ones from the Magic Forest, but they're still formidable for deadwood.  Actually, they make for good targets to practice with since they're so durable and all.  Then again, maybe my habits are- wait... what was I talking about before?  Right, "strongest faerie."

    After her confident declaration, I was consumed with laughter.  Gripping my sides, I asked her, "You're strongest?  Says who?"

    "Says everyone," she replied with a smirk as she snapped her fingers.

    It seemed an empty gesture, but then I noticed a strange sound.  As my laughter subsided, the sound rang clearer.  It was almost like buzzing, but lower in pitch.  "Could it be... wings?" I thought to myself.

    Then, as if to affirm my suspicion, the cloud cover began to lift.  On all sides were faeries as far as the eye could see.  Although visibility was bad, that was beside the point.  I felt my jaw drop with such force; not from their overwhelming power, but staggering numbers.

    "This might be a problem."

    From overhead, a familiar voice commented on my situation, "That's quite a predicament."

    "Reimu!" I was relieved and shocked to see Reimu: relieved she was here and shocked she got here so soon.

    "There was another one, too?"  "When did she get here?"  "What do we do now?"  Reimu's arrival stirred confusion amongst the faeries.

    "Maybe we can finish this quickly, together," I thought.

    As if to reestablish order, the blue faerie cried out to Reimu, "You!  Keep out of our fun!"

    With her free spirited smile, Reimu objected, "Oh, don't worry.  I won't bother your fun; just passing through, is all."  She even bowed.

    "Well," that blue faerie seemed like she got caught off-guard by the respectful display and smiled joyously as she conceded, "You may move along since we're busy here."

    "Ah, thank you very much," Reimu courtly responded to the reply.

    Their conversation was sickening.  To think that Reimu would stoop so low to avoid some trouble, or was she doing this to spite me?

    After another bow, she remarked, "I'll be heading that way then.  Take care!" and flew off behind the blue faerie.

    "What was that all about?" I felt completely unsatisfied by the bizarre exchange.  Not only was I disturbed by the groveling Reimu, but she left without even saying anything to me.  Some friend she turned out to be.

    "Cirno!" one the faeries called out to the cold blue faerie.  Apparently, Cirno had become self-absorbed from Reimu's respect and was daydreaming, or something.

    Having been brought back to reality, she responded to the one that called out to her, "Yeah, Aqua?"

    "We should deal with this human now, right?" she replied while pointing to me; seems I'm to be dealt with.

    "Ah, right!"  Did she forgot about me?  I felt so insulted.

    The faerie swarm prepared for their frenzy, and I wasn't planning on losing to them; not now, not ever.  With a "Let's go!", the faerie massacre began.

[Zer0Axiom]

    The quiet night was embraced by the ominous haze.  Any normal human being would be at home: sleeping uneasily or cowering in fear.  Fortunately, Reimu was not one of those people.  As the last miko of the Hakurei Shrine, she took her responsibilities of safeguarding Gensokyo seriously; even if she didn't seem very serious.  Having bested Rumia, the youkai of darkness, Reimu continued her gradual approach to the nearby lake; more specifically, an island on the lake.

    Moving along at her relaxed pace, Reimu found an interesting sight at the lake front.  There was a large congregation of faerie type youkai, and at their center was none other than the troublesome Marisa.  Under normal circumstances, Reimu might have offered her assistance, but tonight would be an exception.  There were bigger concerns at hand, and Marisa would have to make do by herself.  Even though this was an exceptional time, Reimu couldn't simply abandon Marisa either.

    "Maybe I can help her indirectly," she pondered.

    Recalling that faeries were simplistic in nature, it would be a simple task to avoid confrontation.  The problem would be in the "assisting Marisa" part.  Without putting much thought into her plan, Reimu called out and made her presence know to the crowd, "That's quite a predicament."

    As expected, all present were surprised by her appearance.  As the clamoring grew louder, one of the faeries in blue cried out, "You!  Keep out of our fun!"

    Then, as if by instinct, all the commotion came to a halt.  "She's the leader, huh?" Reimu concluded.  Without hesitation, she smiled and remarked, "Oh, don't worry.  I won't bother your fun; just passing through, is all."  As a final touch to the charade, she bowed deeply to the loud faerie.

    Her display won over the lead faerie immediately.  With a tint of blush, the bluish faerie waved her hand slightly and commented, "Well, you may move along since we're busy here."

    Taking her cue from the favorable response, Reimu gestured another bow and assented, "Ah, thank you very much.  I'll be heading that way then.  Take care!"

    Her subtle glances to Marisa found an unrefined expression.  She would hazard a guess that Marisa took the display at face value and missed the clue.  After drifting forward for a bit, Reimu paused to clear her thoughts.

    "Marisa can take care of herself," she reasoned, "And I have to resolve this disaster."

    Having reevaluating her priorities, Reimu resumed her search for the guilty party afoot.  Just then, a voice called out to her, and Reimu's reflexes answered with a wave of talismans; her firm intent to "punish evil" taking initiative.  This response did not go ignored, and a battle ensued.

    While maintaining her distance, Reimu observed her opponent.  This youkai had long red hair and was dressed in fine green and white clothes.  It's materials and style were unfamiliar to Reimu.  Even the green hat on her head was unusual.

    Disregarding the unnecessary, Reimu turned her attention to her actions.  The youkai used a series of fine movements to maneuver around while releasing a concentrated wave of energy in Reimu's direction.  From this alone, Reimu concluded that this youkai would not continue her assault for long.

    In judging danmaku, one of the things considered was its type.  Someone like Reimu might be limited in the amount used by the quantity supplied since her tools were her danmaku.  In contrast, people like Marisa were limited to their individual stamina as they released energy from within themselves.  This youkai would be of the latter.  Furthermore, they were currently in flight; this increased the strain upon both combatant's stamina.  From these points alone, it would be reasonable to surmise that Reimu held the momentary advantage.

    However, several other factors existed as well.  One of which being whether one was a youkai or not.  Since youkai were born with greater capacities of stamina and physical strength than human, they would hold a natural advantage.  Additionally, a youkai would be stronger at night then during the day.  Finally, there would be distinctions between the experienced and inexperienced.  All these factors gave a greater advantage to the longer lived youkai's favor.

    In spite of these numerous disadvantages, Reimu was not troubled.  Her opponent's attack pattern was short and controlled, suggesting a preference to close ranged combat.  So Reimu continued to grace the sky with composure and precision; waiting for an opportunity to present itself.

    Finding a small opening, Reimu unleashed her counteroffensive.  With a short spin, she threw out five talismans to the youkai's next location.  She then followed with two amulets, one at and the other above her target.

    After noticing the attack, the youkai short stepped the talismans and fired off a blast of chi to disable the approaching amulet.  Before she could react, the second amulet came down and struck at the nape of her neck.  With a short yelp in response, she felt the amulet burn unto her skin.  Though the pain was distracting, she endured it and spiraled a distance to her side, dodging another set of talismans.  After preparing another wave of chi, she quickly reached for her spell card.

    Holding her card out, she called, "Flower Sign!"  Reimu's amulets stopped short of their target, having been disabled by a defensive wall of energy from the spell card's activation.

    "Selaginella 9!"

    Without wasting her breathe, the youkai completed her declaration.  An array of energy gathered around her and created the image of a six-petaled flower.  The image then broke apart as the energy scattered towards Reimu; replaced shortly by another amassing of energy.  The flood of energy sailed by Reimu as she bobbed and weaved through the barrage.  The spell card was short-lived as the circumstance of its use deigned its function to bomb instead of spell.

    Although published with her approval, Reimu was still unsure of the exact principles to the Spell Card Rule.  She was initially doubtful as to how reliable the rules would be enforced, but after seeing it in use, she smiled with satisfaction.  These battles might play out as games, but their results would be measured with skill and ability.

    It had been not long since the release of the Spell Card Rule.  Under this new rule, formal battles could be conducted between two parties without complication.  Regulating the use of spell cards, the powerful could flaunt their power for sport or play.  Likewise, it enabled a less powerful party to compete against an otherwise unbeatable foe.  Though many points remained of concern, they would be redundant if a challenge to battle was not issued and accepted.

    When invoked, a spell card would shine to signify its activation before dissolving.  The active duration would be tracked by a magical circle beneath the card's user.  This circle's shape and design, reflections of their creator's skill, would recede in size proportional to the length of the spell card's period of activity.

    The spell card would also project a barrier around its user, absorbing damage during the spell card's effective duration.  If enough damage to the barrier accumulated, a spell break would occur; ending the spell card's active period immediately.  Spell card usage would be classified further into two categories: spell and bomb.

    The use of a spell was restricted only to function during a formal duel by one of the participants: the caster.  Its allowable duration of use was further limited within a maximum time span of two minutes in length.  Additionally, during any single duel, all spells were regulated to single use; repeating a spell was not allowed.

    A bomb differed from a spell in the fact that it could be used at any time.  This versatility was offset by the fact that bombs did not remain active for as long as spells could.  As their active duration could not exceed several seconds, a spell break would be impossible and unnecessary.  Though their functions and effective use differed greatly, the amount of energy consumed by a spell and a bomb remained the same; therein preventing the possibility of continuous uses of bombs during a battle.

    With her spell card resolved, the youkai was pressed for another counter strategy.  She was at a considerable disadvantage and couldn't afford to squander another card use.  Faced with another onslaught, she braced for the worse.

    Having evaded the youkai's Selaginella 9 bomb with little more then burnt hemming on her skirt, Reimu readied another handful of talismans.  A few more attacks would leave her with total victory, proving her initial assessment accurate.  As she swung her arm out, she suddenly paused.  A tremendous amount of energy approached from behind and would hit her if she did not move away.  Aborting her battle plan, Reimu rushed to a side as did her opponent.

    With a deafening roar, a blinding surge of energy carried pass both girls.  In its wake, not even a semblance of mist remained.  Confused by the surprise attack, Reimu had turned around to locate the new perpetrator.  Finding a chance opportunity, the youkai retreated from sight.

    Reimu's concentration became strained between "identify the new assailant" and "chase the escaping enemy."  As she was about to give chase, she notice her assailant's approach.  Black dress, blond hair, black pointed hat, riding a broom; it was none other than Marisa.

    "Run!" Marisa called as she passed by without even slowing down.

    Deprived of a chance to think, Reimu was left utterly confused.  Containing her grief, she followed after Marisa and the rouge youkai.

[Zer0Axiom]

    "Let's go!" wasn't much of a war cry, but I wasn't in any position to complain.

    Reimu had turned her back on me, and left me in a real bind.  No matter what I thought, it was nothing more then what I deserved.  Had it have been me, I would have just ignored these faeries and went straight to the boss as well.

    "Right, it's my problem, not her.  By my strength will I triumph!  I won't allow these small fry to best me!" renewing my spirits, I turned to the battle.

    The faerie swarm used a hybrid diving hit-and-run tactic.  As one group circled around, another moved overhead; groups from below crossed to my side; groups overhead spiraled down below; it was enough to make me wonder, "How long did they practice to be this efficient?"

    Since it was an encirclement, their allies would be in the crossfire; not to mention they were in tight formations.  I was left with little breathing room, literally.  Dodging all this would get me only so far; I needed a plan of attack, too.

    As I was considering the few options at hand, I noticed that Cirno wasn't doing much.  Next to her, Aqua also seemed to be just observing.  It annoyed me to no end because I felt like they were just toying with me.

    "You're Strength of Numbers will fall to my Might of One!" I declared.  I really don't know what I was talking about either, but I decided on my approach and followed through.

    The smaller ones didn't make much danmaku, but a lot of them made a lot together.  I fired up a laser and swept a few of them back.  The bigger ones had less movement, but lots of danmaku.  For them, a large blast should suffice.  After clearing out several groups, the remaining encirclement began to falter, and their attack frequency decreased.  It got me thinking, "This isn't so bad."

    Just then, Aqua jumped in and spiced up the battle.  Compared to the other faeries, she was very good.  Fast by a faerie's standard, she zipped around the gaps within the formation.  The danmaku was fairly standard stuff though.  I didn't take her as much of a threat since her danmaku was pretty standard for a faerie.

    I guess I was a bit too overconfident.  I tried to hit her with some magic missiles, but she moved around too quickly for them to hit.  When I tried to lighten my load by bring down more weaklings, they also picked up the pace.  I was back at square one and quickly losing ground.

    Juggling myself between waves of aggression, I clutch my spell card in hand as I looked for a break in the assault.  When their combined danmaku cleaved off my left sleeve and some of my skirt, I had no choice but to use a bomb.

    "Magic Sign!"

    With the card's activation, the energy blasts in the immediate area dissipated, and the group tempo paused momentarily.  I sighed, but there was no time to be relieved yet; I was still surrounded.  Taking a deep breathe, I invoked the spell's name.

    "Stardust Reverie!"

    Several large and colorful stars circled around me and ate through the continuing faerie attack.  They spun around a bit and created a tail of smaller stars before they flew out in all directions.  As they carried across the crowd, they took some of the faeries with them before disappearing.  When the mist settled, I was faced with less than a tenth of the original gathering.  Among the surviving were Aqua and Cirno.

    "How'd ya like that?" I taunted, relieved that I was no longer completely surrounded.

    "We're not beat yet!" Aqua rebuked.

    Considering how my Stardust Reverie plowed through them, it would make sense that the remaining few were also the tougher ones.  I calmed myself to prepare for the upcoming struggle, but found the situation shift from what I had expected.

    "I'll handle this," Cirno decided.

    With a slight nod between the remaining faeries, the stage was set for a showdown between Cirno and myself; I felt so cheated.  Not only was I embarrassed by an alliance of uncountable weaklings, I get to face off against their leader: another weakling.  Well, complaining won't finish the fight; I might as well do this right and win it with style to redeem myself.

    Drifting at my eye level, Cirno commented, "For a puny human, you're not bad."

    I'm pretty sure my mind blanked out for a moment.  I think I had a I-can't-believe-this-is-happening-to-me kind of smile.  After her words echoed in my head a few times, I declared, "To be called puny by a short stacked faerie is where I draw the line!"

    "Oh, going to draw a line now?  Go ahead, if you think it'll help," Cirno mocked.

    Swallowing my displeasure, I suggested, "Then, why don't we do this the old fashion way?"

    The confusion in Cirno's expression was obvious as she remarked, "The old fashion way... would be..."

    With a semi-victorious smirk, I clarified, "'You shoot at me, I shoot at you, last one standing wins.'  You alright with that?"

    Having been brought to the same page, Cirno answered, "If you want; it's fine by me.  I'll beat you whatever the rules."

    "Actually, we should be using that new Spell Card Rule, but I don't care for that.  I'll put this half-pint into a new world of pain, and to do that, we can't use that new rule," my frustration complained.

    The stress was getting to my head.  I needed to focus on what I was going to do, or I'd end up being played again.  With that realization, I started to take deep breathes to calm down.

    As if sensing my grief, Cirno added, "Also, if you're going to use a spell card, don't bother with that dust thing; it's embarrassingly weak."

    "Oh, alright," my words replied as I contained my indignation.

    Thus began my shoot out with a faerie.  At first, it seemed like a tie.  Hard to believe, right?  I was fighting a faerie to a mere tie.  My speed didn't help me in trumping her danmaku since it was wide angled sprays with a condensed followups.  Her shots were well balanced and she was fairly nimble.

    On the other hand, my shots were very confined in comparison, and didn't provoke much of a response.  If this continued, I'd have to use a card.  It was a waste of time and effort to throw bombs left and right during a fight, but I had little choice.  I wanted to show her up with Stardust Reverie, but decided to see why she would call it weak first.

    Restraining my stubbornness, I called out, "Hey!  If my Stardust Reverie is so weak, what would a strong spell card be like?"

    "You want to see strong?  Then you asked the right person!" she asserted.

    I was curious as to if she really could use a spell card.  Not only use one, but use one that would be stronger than my Stardust Reverie.

    She held out a card and asked, "You ready for this?"

    "Bring it!" I challenged and fired a barrage of missiles.  There was no way I was going to back down.

    "Freeze Sign!"

    With her call, a small wave of cold air was released and stopped my missiles in place.  This was peculiar since the missiles froze in place instead of impact for no damage.  "This is what a strong spell is like!" she declared as to make certain I didn't miss it.

    "Perfect Freeze!"

    Suddenly, a large cluster of energy rained towards me.  It was so quick that I almost fell over trying to dodge it.  Then, without warning, they, too, froze in place.  Afterward, Cirno launched another flurry of cold energy at me.  As I pulled to a side, I noticed that all the previously frozen shots began to drift around.  They cluttered around me, and I found my speed unable to aid my escape.  As the cold blasts sailed pass me, I felt them burn at my arms and left shoulder.  I was still in one piece, but the throbbing pain intensified.

    I looked up and saw that Cirno seemed to be waiting for something.  With a grimace, I voiced my thoughts, "Indeed, this Perfect Freeze makes Stardust Reverie look weak."

    Hearing this, the other faeries began cheering; Cirno's victory seemingly assured.

    "However!" I cried out to quiet crowd before continuing, "However, that's still weak."

    "Impossible!"  "You're a liar!"  "Cirno's the strongest!"  I had won the ire of the peanut gallery.

    With a curious look on her face, Cirno raised her hand to silence the commentary.  It seemed that she wanted to face my better spell card.

    With a wide grin, I pulled out my next spell card and taunted, "You ready for this?"

    "Let's see it," she challenged, and I didn't waste the invitation.

    "Love Sign!"

    Activating my spell card, I pulled out my mini-hakkero from my side pocket.  Pointing it towards Cirno, I focused my emotions together and recited the spell's name.

    "Master Spark!"

    A beam of energy took form and propelled itself from within mini-hakkero.  What happened after that exceeded all of my expectations.  Though I had practiced this spell often, I never had it be so large before.  The out pour was so overwhelming, I was almost thrown off of my broom.  It's roar was so loud, I couldn't hear anymore.  There was such a presence of power that I was blinded by its light.

    After a few moments, I felt the pressure subside.  I could not see in front of me; hear the lake below me; feel Cirno's presence anywhere around me.  All I could think was "I'm glad that wasn't me" before remembering my purpose: surpass Reimu.

    "Later, losers!" I called back to the terrified faeries as I raced after Reimu.

[Zer0Axiom]

    The tranquility of a midsummer's night was nowhere to be found.  For in its stead was a radiance that consumed all in its path.  An intensity that made no distinctions between friend and foe.  The night would be long through before peace could settle once more.  Within the still of this particular night, the Hakurei Miko lurked restlessly so justice could be done to all of Gensokyo's malcontents.

    As things stood, Reimu was considering with complete sincerity, "Marisa's recklessness cannot be allowed free reign!  I must take the initiative, and see her thoroughly punished."

    Not long before, Reimu was mere moments from claiming victory over an errant youkai when a surge of malicious energy made its way into her path.  The distraction afforded by the transgression allowed for the escape of the aforementioned youkai.  Shortly thereafter, the maleficence's source made its way into Reimu's view.  That source was none other than Marisa.

    As Reimu pursued her prey, she came upon an island.  "Is that..." after pondering the obvious, she sighed, "Guess her punishment's on hold."

    Marisa and the youkai were already on the island.  Taking notice of her arrival, Marisa called, "Reimu!  You're late!"

    Setting down next to Marisa with a bow, Reimu apologized for her delay, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

    As her playful smile gleamed, Marisa remarked, "S'okay."

    With a cheerful smile, Reimu swung her gohei and hit the side of Marisa's head.  Both Marisa and the youkai were shocked by the aggression.

    "That was a gift to compensate for my tardiness, and this is for your Master Spark!" Reimu explained.  Panic set over Marisa as Reimu continued her generous display with another strike.

    "By the way," having temporarily punished Marisa, Reimu pointed towards the youkai, "Who are you?"

    Gesturing a bow, the youkai introduced herself, "My name is Meiling, and I am just a normal person."

    "It was you that attacked me back there, right?" Reimu interrogated.

    "That was a normal attack since you attacked me first," Meiling explained.  Turning the accusation around, she pointed back at Reimu and declared, "It is you that is not normal!"

    Shrugging off the accusation, Reimu refuted, "I'm a normal miko."

    "I'm normal too," Marisa asserted, having been ignored entirely during the exchange.

    "Definitely not normal," was the unanimous reply to Marisa's outburst.

    "Anyway," Marisa diverted the subject away from herself, "You a guard or something?  You're kinda in our way."

    "And so I am in your way," Meiling affirmed with a taunting smile, exaggerated bow, and poised salute.

    "That's too bad," Marisa remarked in an indifferent tone, "It's not in my style to pick fights with normal types like you."

    "Wait, Marisa," Reimu interceded and stopped Marisa from racing away again, "There's a barrier around that gate."

    "Indeed," Meiling confirmed Reimu's observation, "This barrier keeps out all troublesome pests from trespassing."

    "Then how do we get in?" Marisa demanded as her attention passed between the gate, its guard, and Reimu.

    With a sigh, Reimu enlightened Marisa, "How does anyone get into a room: its door."

    "And none pass this gate's door without my approval," the gate's guard smirked, "Quite an impasse, fight me or be turned away.  Which will it be?"

    Without warning, Marisa fire a small laser in response.  As the laser passed to her side, Meiling pondered, "Does she mean to fight, then?"

    "Direct hit!" Marisa exclaimed with glee, prompting Meiling to turn around.

    The target was the gate behind her, and now, there was a breach in its center.  Not to be delayed by triviality, Marisa darted forward and dove through the opening.

    Completely surprised by the impromptu entry, Meiling raced to stop Marisa from infiltrating the manor.  As she reached the gate, she turned around and released a wave of chi, countering a barrage of talismans.

    Reimu, with more talismans in hand, called out to Meiling, "Unfortunately, I don't have any problems fighting normal people that are in my way."

    "I'll be on my way then," Marisa cheered from the beyond the gate, "Good luck!"

    Meiling now found herself in a tight bind, "Can I keep this miko from breaking the gate?"  After putting more thought into the matter, she felt that it may have been for the best that the other one didn't remain, "This miko couldn't possibly destroy the gate alone, and it would be troublesome to face two enemies at once."

    The standoff didn't last long as Reimu couldn't allow Marisa to venture into the dangerous building and resolve the cloudy disaster by herself.  Taking aim with an attack structure that almost won the previous encounter, Reimu launched a small barrage of talismans to which Meiling gracefully meandered through.  The homing amulets that followed after were repelled with a subtle chi wave.

    As Reimu prepared another handful of talismans, she took notice of Meiling's passive stance.  Normally, her opponents would have taken the opportunity to counterattack after such a weak attempt.  At a loss for what the youkai had planned since she didn't retaliate, Reimu boldly asked, "You're not going to attack me?"

    "My duty is to repel trespassers," Meiling plainly replied, "I do not need to attack you to deter your path."

    With a smirk, Reimu jeered, "Isn't that because you can't defeat me?"

    Holding to her calm demeanor, Meiling stated, "Mock me as you like, I will not be moved."

    Reimu considered her available options for a reasonable approach, "This may prove bothersome.  On the one hand, attacking recklessly would be a waste of effort.  On the other, this opponent refuses to attack and create an opening to exploit."  With her opponent's advantage of time and location, Reimu concluded that several bombs would become necessary to achieve any desirable results.

    Disgruntled from her severely limited options, Reimu reflected upon her troubles, "If it hadn't been for Marisa's interference, this encore fight would never have happened.  I need to remember to repay her properly, for this."

    Charging at her opponent, Reimu dropped three amulets behind and showered forth several talismans.  As Meiling shifted to a side, Reimu went airborne to rain down another set of talismans.  From her place overhead, she also set into play two of her amulets before descending to the gate front.

    Meiling's initial movements met with some hesitation as Reimu took to the sky.  Leaping away from the cornered gate front, Meiling found no relief as Reimu's delayed amulets greeted her legs.  Tumbling to her side, Meiling rolled away from yet another series of talisman volleys and somersaulted into the air.  Gathering her chi, she dropped back to the ground and executed a daring counter.

    Meeting with some initial progress from the surprise attack, Reimu's follow through did not fare as well when the fleet footed Meiling avoided the assault with embarrassing precision.  After seeing her leap into the air, Reimu tried to repel her opponent with a condensed attack, but found the leap was a feint.  Pulling away, Reimu concentrated her efforts on minimizing the damage.

    "Illusion Sign: Imaginary Dream Flower Vine!"

    Without delay, Meiling released a sphere of chi around herself.  The massive out pour scattered into a flurry of condensed energy that filled the surrounding space.  Reimu found little respite after passing through the barrage; having lost valuable distance from the gate.

    With a small abrasion on her right leg, Reimu let out a sigh, "Had I been any closer to her, it would have been impossible to outmaneuver that type of attack."

    After regaining some composure, she took notice of something on the nearby bank.  It seemed to be a crater, and judging from the surrounding grass, it was newly made.  It was probably from Marisa's earlier efforts, but seemed too low in angle to have been from Master Spark, itself.

    Shaking her head to adjust her concentration, she came to a realization, "If that's true, then I can finish this without much trouble."

    Returning to her whimsical smile, Reimu prepared her gamble to pass this well guarded gate.

[Zer0Axiom]

    "I'll be on my way then.  Good luck!"

    I didn't think it would work out this well.  Not only did I get past the front gate before Reimu did, but she decided to stay behind and deal with the gate's guard.  It was a free pass to take the lead.  Why shouldn't I take it?

    Racing across the garden, I reached the front door and noticed its size.  I had always thought the place would be like a typical troublemaker's home: more spacious than it needed to be.  What I found was a monstrously large building.

    "Is it my imagination, or are these places getting bigger?" I asked to no one as I enter the doorway.

    Believing it was large by the doors was a mistake: inside was far more unbelievable.  I glanced around to see that the entryway was more spacious than my house.  The floor tiles were so well polished, they reflected my face as I examined them.

    "So it isn't just big, but well maintained, too." I commented, "I wonder what's worth bringing home?"  Since I was going to the trouble of visiting a new place, I figured I'd take home a nice souvenir for the occasion.

    After surveying the area from the entryway, I noticed that there were two hallways branching out as well as a large, closed door across the room.  Since this suspicious door refused to open, I decided on taking one of the branching halls.  Picking some straw from my broom, I dropped them on the floor to mark my path.  Content that Reimu wouldn't miss this clue, I continued on in search for anything worthwhile.

    "Not just wide, but long..."

    I couldn't figure why this house was so much bigger inside than outside.  These halls, walls, doors, and floor seemed normal enough.  Cutting across a corner, I decided not to waste my time thinking about it.

    "This place is impossible, nothing more."

    After passing a large set of doors, I noticed a magical presence within.  It was quite distinct from the remainder of the empty halls and quiet doors from before.

    "Guess I got to the boss first," I cheered as I entered the doors.

    Beyond the doors was a very spacious room, obviously.  What was unexpected was the large arrangement of bookshelves within it.  Not only that, but they stood from another level below.  This meant that the bookshelves were taller then your average two story buildings, especially since the rooms were bigger than the typical one story homes.

    I went into a bit of a frenzy from their overwhelming sight.  Although these books were far too numerous for me to read in my lifetime, I could feel their magical energies calling to me.  Driven further to add to my meager collection back home, I sailed over the expanse and pondered which I should study first.

    While not watching my way, I collided with something and dropped to a shelf top.  After climbing my way off the ledge, I scanned the area for what I hit.  With no success, I raised my hand and summoned my broom.  Shrugging of the accident, I resumed my previous thoughts, "Which books are worth borrowing?"

    "Don't take any books, please," a voice responded to my thoughts.

    Taking humor in the dialogue, I asseverated, "I'm going to take some!"

    With the short exchange concluded by silence, I looked around to verify the voice's owner.  Noticing a strangely dressed person on a nearby shelf, I turned to face her.  Dressed in a faded lavender dress, she wasn't too much bigger than myself.  What stood out most was that her purple hair was so long for her height and was capped with a puffy hat that bore an assortment of accessories; it seemed kind of unbalanced.  As I looked closer, I saw she was reading a book.

    "Guess she likes reading books," I figured.

    As I was thinking about another conversational topic to bring up, I heard her mumbling, "Let's see here: How to Passively Defeat the Person in Front of You."

    "That's written in there?!" I was in disbelief to the contents of her book.  It was unlikely to contain such a questionably convenient subject.  Then again, these were magical books; it was entirely plausible.  Curious as to what she would say, I asked, "What's it say?"

    With a matter-of-fact gesture, she responded, "'Don't hold back'."

    Unsatisfied, I inquired, "And how is that passively defeating someone?"

    Closing her book, she dryly explained, "By not wasting effort is how it's passive."

    Her answer made sense, I guess.  It was enough to make me wonder if that really was written in that book she was holding.  I chuckled with delight as I envisioned the many volumes of new text I would soon acquire.

    Without thinking much else, I remarked, "This is an impressive place you've got here."

    "I simply manage these archives, but it is indeed impressive," she commented in a deadened tone like it was normal.

    Continuing with the conversation, I asked, "You're not the owner?"

    "And you're not a guest," she plainly stated as she inquired, "What brings you here?"

    Shuffling my thoughts, I offered as an explanation, "I heard that this place was remarkable and wanted to see for myself."

    "A liar and a thief, then," she didn't hold back on the accusations.

    "That's not true!" I exclaimed to defend myself, "I didn't take anything yet!  And I didn't lie to you, either!"

    "A thief all the same," she objected, "Or perhaps a vigilante of the night?"

    "That's..." I was going to deny the claim but then her words replayed in my head.  Engrossed by the poetic appeal of the title, I continued, "... a nice way of putting it.  Actually, it sounds kinda cool that way."

    "As I expected," she concluded as she opened her book again, "I will not permit you to roam freely through the mansion."

    "So you're going to passively defeat me?" I sneered which received a sly smile in reply.

    From all sides, I found myself completely surrounded, again.  The only difference from before would be that there were books instead of faeries.

    "Must be my lucky day," I murmured to myself.

[Zer0Axiom]

    Vigilance is not measured in deeds.  It cannot be received nor given.  It is not something to be achieved.  As unattainable as it is, it remains invaluable to one of my standing.  I am a sentinel, and it is my duty to safeguard my post.  It falls to me to persevere through any crisis at hand.  Alone and unaided, I must stand ever vigilant.

    With Gensokyo in its current state, it was only a matter of time before someone would come to confront Madame about her actions.  Several days have passed since the mist began to spread across the land, and only recently have the hostiles made their way to our doorsteps.  Although it was still my responsibility to deter trespassers, I was complacent and failed to prevent intrusion.

    Renewing my resolve, I took a stand at the gate front.  The normal miko merely smiled.  My efforts yielded little results and there was less that I could do to anticipate her plans.  As she slowly advanced, I prepared to strike back.  No matter the circumstance, I could not allow her to pass beyond the gate.

    She began her attacks with a bombardment of charms.  Though small in size, their power over youkai was undeniable.  By releasing my chi into small waves of energy, I could manage to repel the charms and hold my ground.  However, her charms were numerous, and I would be unable to counter all of them for long.

    Of greater concern was the tracking charms she used.  By mixing them with her straight-flying charms, these tracking charms would direct themselves to their target and inflict their damage.  Even though their damage was weaker, their application in combat made them lethal.

    Preferably, I would have charged at her and fought in close combat.  It would have been a simple task to defeat her then.  The single reason that I could not was because of her blessed tools.  At my current level of ability, my meager skills could not endure damage from them and remain combat effective.  With few options from the start, I focused on "delay" instead of "defeat"; if I could outlast her, I would have effectively defeated her.

    The miko resumed her attack.  While strafing to her right, she launched several charms in my direction.  If I moved through them, she would pin me with tracking charms.  I followed a path to my right and kept watch over the area.  Although the tracking charms were larger in relative size, they remained difficult to spot with the prevalent mist.  Correction: keeping watch over the gate, the miko, tracking charms, gate, and approaching bombardment through all the mist was extremely difficult.  Following her movements, I made a break to a space on my left.  After stepping back a bit, she threw four tracking charms into the air and continued her frontal assault.

    I couldn't hesitate.  Anticipating a three point assault, I took flight to increase my available movement options.  Seeing her charge after her talismans, I continued with my efforts and moved to counter her tracking charms.  With her approaching from below, I shifted to my left and dropped to the ground next to her.  With cards in hand, we faced one another and announced our spell cards.

    "Colorful Sign: Chaotic Dance of Iridescence!"  "Spirit Sign: Fantasy Seal!"

    In a radiant surge of colors, our attacks collided in a blinding display.  While my card rained a plethora of colored prism shards, her spell released large colored spheres of spiritual energy.  Those spheres plowed through my prisms directly towards me with a loud roar.  The resulting explosions did little to alleviate my grief.  Had I not used my spell card as well, the damage would have been at critical levels.  After the blasts subsided, I panned around for the shrine maiden with little success.

    Just then, she called out, "Looking for me?"

    I turned towards the voice to find she was already behind the gate doors.  She must have used the colored explosions as cover to slip past undetected.  Since she revealed herself to me afterward, I took caution for traps.

    "Careful, aren't you?" she mocked, but I would not be provoked.  Even if she proceeded for the main building, I could give chase with little fuss.  With her complacent smile, she prattled on, "You haven't noticed then?"

    From behind me, a tracking charm activated and zipped into the mist: its target beyond sight.  From the swirling mist, several faeries made themselves apparent.  It was no mere coincidence that they gathered here like this.

    As I looked onward to the numerous faeries, the shrine maiden continued her commentary, "They want in, too, but I can't imagine that you would let them in so simply.  As such being the case, keep them busy here, alright?  Bye, then."

    I gritted my teeth.  If what she said was true, then there really was nothing more that I could do.  Thinking it over more, it was entirely possible that a confrontation was unnecessary.  I held onto that sliver of chance as I called out to the gathering, "You are faeries of the lake, correct?  What brings you here?"

    "Well," a green haired faerie came forth, "We're here for the magician inside."

    "The magician inside?" confirming their objective, I continued my inquiry, "What business do you have with her?"

    "Punishment!"  "Revenge!"  "Payback!"

    I could only curse the miko's good fortune.  Even if they were after the intruder, it was not possible to leave such a bloodthirsty mob unattended at the gate.  Holding fast to my duties, I stated, "I cannot allow you to pass.  Leave now or face my might."

    "You can't stop us!" one of the faeries remarked, and with a frenzied charge, the gathering plowed forward and collided with the barrier.

    "If it is as you say," I responded while taking my combat stance, "Then I shall not be merciful."

[Zer0Axiom]

    "Must be my lucky day."

    There was no better way to put it.  Everyone wanted a piece of me tonight.  Even Reimu couldn't get enough of me.  It should be a crime to be this popular.  In all seriousness, I could go without the extra attention.

    "This should be fun," was all I could manage with a stiff smile on my face.  The multitude of thick magic books encircled my spot on the shelf top.  As panic took hold, I tried to even the field, "... but it would be a shame to ruin all of these books in a fight."

    "No worries there," she asserted as she informed me, "All of my books are enchanted to resist many forms of damage.  They'll be fine."

    Daunted by the severity of her words, I complained, "Isn't that cheating?  Pitting little me against your indestructible volumes of lore?"

    Without thinking on the question, she replied, "In a word: yes.  Now, if you're done badgering, we should begin.  I happen to be very busy."

    Denied of further protests, I was fired upon by the enchanted books.  Most of the attacks came in the form of slow moving magic orbs.  They were manageable since the orbs were not simultaneously fired en mass but at intervals.  If that was all they did, I was worried for nothing.

    Then I heard a low hum.  Looking around for what was humming, I caught the sight of a book charging a magical blast.  The humming came to a cease as several books fired laser beams in rapid succession.  The closest one to me singed the tip of my hat.

    After the books fired their respective attacks, they closed and moved to a different location before firing again.  Taking my cue to retaliate, I returned with a laser pulse.  The attack carried to a book that finished its spray, and collided with its closed cover.  Aggravated by the lack of notable damage to the book, I blasted another.  The results were not different.

    I was losing to despair and defeat was growing imminent.  Just as I was about to grab out a spell card, my magic knocked a book out of its orbit.  Taking a closer look, I noticed a possible loophole to the super books.  It seemed like my only chance to bring them down would be when they were open.

    The books were closed as they drifted around.  After settling on a spot, they opened and began flipping through their pages.  If I was right, that was the decisive moment to strike.  With my new plan in place, I neutralized several more books with astonishing success.  I continued the shooting spree until I realized the books stopped opening.

    "Pretty impressive, black clothed vigilante," she remarked in her drab tone.

    "Nothin' to it," I cheered with a grin on my face, having received a well deserved compliment.

    That actually ended better then my last encounter did.  If all my fights went this well, then I'd be set.  Completely engrossed with my own ego, I neglected the fact that the person in front of me was a capable magician.

    She attacked with a set of sweeping lasers.  My only saving grace was that they weren't aimed anywhere in particular.  I managed to avoid its cutting sweep before it stopped.  In its place was a different set of sweeping lasers that swung in the opposite direction.

    Without much pause, she unleashed an array of magical energy that scattered a series of waves in several direction.  The flowing energy didn't get far before she began blasting her sweeping lasers from before; only now they were accompanied by a sequence of smaller energy waves.  The cycle continued ceaselessly.

    "Overkill much?"

    It wasn't until I openly complained that I noticed she was mumbling something.  "Looks like she was reciting an incantation during the entire onslaught," as I came to that conclusion, she declared a spell card.

    "Fire Sign: Agni Radiance!"

    An overwhelming wave of heat swept across me as I struggled to keep calm. Several large fireballs took shape and began flying around with alarming speed.  It wouldn't do to have those fireballs be alone, of course not.  They were graced with the company of many smaller fireballs that cascaded in a series of outward spiral.  There was not much else I could do but try to keep from getting roasted while the heat was on.

    Eventually, the heat surge cooled down, and I patted out a small fire on the brim of my hat.  The respite was shorter then I was because she went right with the many sweeping lasers again.  Like she did before, there was an arrangement of magical energy that showered me with repeated handfuls of love.  As the pattern continued, she was chanting another incantation.

    Not wanting for more damage to my clothes, I opened fire to the bookworm.  Even though she was chanting, emitting lasers, and showering me with waves of magic; she still managed to dodge my attacks without slowing down.

    Eventually, I came to a realization, "If she's going to use magic on me like this, I should take the opportunity to learn a thing or two."

    Finding others with magic that I could use was a rarity, and her magic seemed simple enough to try out.  After thinking on it a bit, the sweeping laser thing looked easy enough to try.  Its design was simple and powerful.  I could fill the magic shower with stars.  If I added more lasers, it should do more damage, too.

    "I need to remember to try this out later," I repeated with an ever widening grin on my face.

    "Wood Sign: Sylph Horn!"

    "Oh, right, still in a fight."

    Her spell called a parade of flitting leaves and some biting wind.  The drifting leaves didn't seem too threatening, but I decided to play it safe.  In all honesty, it seemed really weak and a waste of magic and time.

    Dodging this spell effects was so simple that I was a bit suspicious of whether she had anything planned.  Maybe it was for the best if she wore herself out with such dismal displays.  As the gale died down, I focused on what would be next.

    "Given up?" she asked in her drab tone; I hadn't expect that.

    Taking insult at the notion, I rejected the thought, "Course not!  What makes you say that?"

    With a placid gaze, she commented, "It just seemed like you stopped trying to fight back."

    "Oh," I was stricken at the truth of her observation.  Reaching into my wits, I rationalized, "Well, I was just admiring your magic.  You're pretty good."

    "If that's the case, I shall proceed."

[Zer0Axiom]

    The hour grew late as the world slept without change.  Many questionable figures roamed the night.  The presence of fear; the prize of dominion; the respect of peers, these things were treasured by many but held by few.  In a world where the powerful were ever present, one thing was true: nothing remains absolute.  However, order must be kept, and for Gensokyo, that responsibility falls to the Hakurei line.

   Having outwitted the protector at the front gate, Reimu made her way through the gardens towards the building proper.  Although she held responsibility to restore Gensokyo to its natural state, she wasn't in any particular rush.  She pressed onward with her task and eventually arrived at the main entrance.  Upon entry, she was bewildered to what she encountered.

    It was natural to assume that the building was of foreign origin from the outer architecture, but the sheer spacial quality was beyond reasoning; it bordered impossibility.  The entryway and main hall were larger than her shrine.  There was more room there than was entirely necessary for anyone.  This would be a problem for her as she needed to explore its cavernous corridors for the criminal mastermind at the heart of the prevailing crisis.

    After reviewing the main hall, Reimu concluded that Marisa had gone down the northern hallway.  It was only obvious enough from the trail left behind: mud clumps, mushroom pieces, strands of golden hair, straw fragments, and other dubious materials.  After considering the need to chase after Marisa and the ridiculous size of the building, Reimu decided to take the southern corridor and cover a different wing.  The hall was, unsurprisingly, wide and long.  It stretched for what felt like an eternity, partly because of Reimu's gentle pace.

    "It'll be tomorrow if I don't hurry," she urged herself, "The troublemaker is farther in."

    Reaching a turn in the lengthy hall, Reimu encountered an unwelcome site.  In her path was a group of strangely dressed faeries.  Although it would be strange to see a faerie wear such unique clothing elsewhere, it was quite common there.  These faeries were servants at the mansion and their clothing was, in fact, a maid class uniform.  Taking notice in Reimu's miko attire, the faeries began to attack the "outsider."

    "A few measly faeries think they can stop me?"

    Reimu retaliated and cleared the area of the pests that blocked her path.  As she began to move forward, she realized the mistake she made in not following after Marisa: the path would have already been cleared if she followed Marisa.  The spacious hallway was packed beyond capacity with faerie maids; all of them were set to avenge their fallen friends.

    Wasting little time, Reimu made the first move.  Since there were far too many to even begin a winning battle against, Reimu used a spell card.  Employing her Fantasy Seal spell card, Reimu unleashed a barrage of spiritual energy that drove through the mass of maids.  The energy exploded in a resplendent display and left much of the spacious hall unoccupied.  Having cleared a large fraction in the faerie maid forces, Reimu quickly dispatched the remnants as she made her way along the hall.

    As she proceeded, there were still more faerie maids and Reimu questioned the merit in having so many faeries in one place.  As the fighting progressed, Reimu noticed a maid that wasn't like any of the others.  Based on the fact that she was taller than the average faerie, Reimu concluded she wasn't a faerie.

    "Such a mess that needs cleaning," the tall maid remarked as she abruptly threw knives across the hall.

    Doing her best to avoid being skewered, Reimu moved aside and noticed the knives were aimed at the faeries behind her.  Completely at a loss for why that happened, she turned back to find the mysterious maid missing.  It was only for a moment that Reimu looked away, but the maid vanished completely without a trace.  Looking around to see if she was still nearby, Reimu noticed that the few remaining faerie maids were not openly attacking her anymore.  The mystery deepened, but there were other matters of greater priority.

    Racing along the vast pathway unopposed, Reimu rounded another corner and eventually reached a suspicious set of double doors.  Passing the doors, she found herself in a room very similar to the entry hall: it was overly spacious.  In the center of this new room, there was a stairway leading to the next floor.  Also present in the room was the mysterious maid from before.

    As Reimu approached the stairs, the maid remarked, "You're making a mess again."

    Reimu opted to ignore the remark and asked, "You're not the owner, are you?"

    Turning to face Reimu, the maid inquired, "Do you have business with Madame?"

    Uncertain about how to respond, Reimu sought to first clarify the situation, "This is where the mist is coming from, right?  What's the point in spreading it?"

    Without hesitating, the maid responded, "Madame is bothered by the sun's light and prefers the darkened sky."

    Flabbergasted by the lopsidedness of the reasoning, Reimu noted, "Well, it's bothersome and needs to stop."

    "That is a matter for Madame to address," the maid casually explained.

    With thinning patience for the unaccommodating conversation, Reimu suggested, "Then bring her here, and have it addressed."

    "I cannot allow for Madame to be bothered by such trifling matters," the maid reasoned with her unchanging expression.

    Having reached the limits of her patience, Reimu corrected the maid's judgment, "A trifling matter?  It's more of a catastrophe!"

    "Regardless," the maid stated with a stern glare, "I won't allow for anyone to bother Madame."

[Zer0Axiom]

    Responsibility is the measure of necessity.  It holds fast to one's mind and haunts with the prospect of failure.  At the same time, it rewards fulfillment for our successes.  At all moments, responsibility follows as a shadow; its hold unshakable and unbreakable.  I am mindful of my responsibilities as I hold to my purpose.

    I have failed, and the second of the intruders has passed the gate.  Cornered, I held my ground as the gathering of faeries began to lay siege to the gate.  They formed into smaller groups and moved to cover several direction around me.  There was nothing more I could do but strike with a spell card.

    "Colorful Sign: Extreme Color Typhoon!"

    In a flurry of radiant energy, my chi condensed into prism shards and rained upon the faeries around me.  Caught in my spell, the faeries scrambled helplessly as my attack cut through their numbers.  As the remaining faeries reassembled, more arrived and my progress had reversed.  Although I declared the intend to turn them away, it was highly possible that I would be overwhelmed by their returning numbers.

    With a renewed fervor, the faeries retaliated, and I found myself pressed for safety in the volleys.  There was little room in the formation for me to maneuver and I could not wander away from the gate.  Calming my hastened breath, I reached for another spell card.

    "Rainbow Sign: Iridescent Wind Chime!"

    The colorful prisms returned and spiraled into the surrounding space.  The faeries tried to move out of its path, but found their numbers unaccommodating.  Once more, the faerie gathering shrank into a more manageable collective.  As I dreaded the prospect of another wave of faeries arriving, there were no reinforcements.  In a sigh of slight relief, I returned to my efforts of defending my post.

    Examining the chaotic clusters, I took notice of the green haired faerie that spoke earlier.  It seemed as if she was directing the others.  If I could manage to neutralize her presence, I could destroy morale and prevent a full scale invasion force from overrunning the gate.  As I kept my defenses up, I looked around for an opportunity to strike.

    Firstly, I needed to weed out the crowd.  Even if I broke their morale, their numbers were still too great.  From the left to the right, there were clusters of lesser faeries in groups of eight.  Spaced between the groups were two stronger faeries.  As they attacked, the larger groups cycled around in two loops.  As they drifted across their paths, the central faeries shifted between being inside and outside the loops.  The assault plan was simple enough to read, but that made it effective to execute.  Releasing several waves of chi, I managed to throw back their advance and removed some weakened faeries from their lines.

    Secondly, I would disable their commander.  As their numbers lessened, the green haired faerie entered the fray and I reviewed the field for an appropriate plan of attack.  The different groupings reassembled and followed a segmented wheel.  As they did before, they attacked then moved along a looping path.  The difference was that the paths were separated into zones and did not cross in their lines.  This newer movement allowed for more versatile maneuvers.

    The stronger faeries meandered in a hit-and-run style raid.  They moved in; attacked; then pulled away.  Along their flight path was the green haired faerie.  She pulled across the open gaps between the different clusters.  My moment to strike would follow below her as she prepared to attack.

    Expelling my doubts, I rushed in and mounted my assault.  With an upward kick, I struck across her chin and leaped above her.  As I positioned to strike down at her, I drove my knee into her neck then pounded downward with my fist across her face.  With her tumbling across the ground, I chased after several confused underlings.

    As the faerie presence lessened, I returned to the gate and reevaluated the enemy strength.  A small group of about 16 lingered, including the green haired leader.  They assembled a small distance from my location and were discussing something.

    Just then, one of them cried out, "Cirno!"

    Turning my attention to where they were facing, I noticed a blue colored faerie sitting on the bank.  The other faeries rushed around her and were loud in their excitement.

    "Cirno!"  "Are you alright?"  "We were so scared."

    "Uh... Aqua?  What happened?"

    "That magician used a bright light.   Then, she ran away and we couldn't find you."

    "Ah, that's right!  Where'd she go!?"

    "Into that house, but we can't get in."

    "What!?  Why not!?"

    "That person's in our way."

    Judging from their conversations, I surmised that this Cirno was battling with the black dressed magician that damaged the gate.  After using her ridiculously large laser, she fled from the other faeries.  That would explain why the faeries were so agitated, I suppose.

    As I reviewed the new information, Cirno approached me, "Apologize to my friends!"

    Responding with my stoic gaze, I objected to her demand, "They were the ones that attacked the gate first.  I will neither apologize nor forgive them."

    Although displeased by my response, she declared with a smirk, "Then, I'll just have to punish you!"

[Zer0Axiom]

    "If that's the case, I shall proceed."

    She proceeded with her incantation, and nothing else.  I figured she would keep with the shining laser and stuff, but I guess it wasn't needed if I wasn't attacking her.  Maybe the next spell will be cool looking.  I simply waited as she continued chanting.

    To be frank, I really don't know what was so good about her magic.  Up until then, it had all been so bland and average.  I would even go so far as to call it "useless," but there really wasn't much else I could say to her. After all, I really was admiring her magic.

    "Wood and Fire Sign: Forest Blaze!"

    As the spell took shape, the scattered leaves from her previous spell started to gather in a fiery manner.  The heat was far greater than the first spell, and now, there was fire all around me; it made for a very effective combination of magic.  In addition to setting fire to the fallen leaves, more leaves came showering in from nowhere to strengthen the chaos.  The situation only worsened as fireballs took to the sky.

    I didn't like how things were looking.  The heat was oppressive, the fires ran rampant, and the winds fanned the flames.  The spell effects were long for a bomb, too.  Even when it ended, it wouldn't put out the burning leaves.  Out of the frying pan, and into the fire, indeed.

    It was fortunate that my missiles and lasers were able to keep the fires from spreading too closely to me.  As the temperature began receding, I nearly collapsed onto the shelf.  Coughing for a bit, I began to worry about what types of magic she would unveil next.  Her incantations weren't long, but I was able to catch my breath during it.  As I managed to calm down, she finished her recital.

    "Earth Sign: Rage Trilithon!"

    With a loud, grumbling roar, boulders shot across the room.  They weren't overly large, but their size wasn't very modest, either.  They sailed about without much regard to where they were going.  Although their speed was not impressive, they kicked up a lot of dust.  It became more difficult to see clearly and breathing was already a concern.  Without much choice, I endured the hardships; eventually arriving at the intermission.

    Wiping my eyes and coughing for clean air, I began to think about the spell incantations.  I always thought that incantations were used for long rituals and were unwieldy in the middle of battle.  It was illogical to cast ritual style magic when speed casting was imperative.  As I thought on it more, I wondered if I could use incantations to strengthen my magic as well.  I've never really practiced ritual magics so I wasn't sure about how it would work, or if it could work at all.

    "Guess I'll look into it later."

    "Fire and Earth Sign: Lava Cromlech!"

    "Great... more fire..." I really wasn't in the mood to be roasted again.  With my spell card handy, I waited for the best timing in order to avert the damaging onslaught.

    As the spell began, the oppressive heat made a return.  Following close after were the familiar flying fireballs.  Added into the mix for this round was a tumbling wall of rocks, but not just rocks.  Instead of a volley of boulders, the spell churned out a miniature landslide.  Boulders, pebbles, dirt, mud clumps, ash, and an occasional rough gemstone were all present in the loud mass of rumbling earth.  I used my spell card as the rock wall approached since I didn't feel like toughing through it at all.

    "Magic Sign: Stardust Reverie!"

    Between the heat, fire, earth, and stars, I couldn't see a thing.  With the loud collision of magic, there wasn't much hearing done either.  Even as my Stardust Reverie swept across the fire and rock, I still felt the imposing heat's grip on me like a hungry snake on its prey.  It was very dizzying.

    As my Stardust Reverie began to wind down, I sensed no end to the heat, and panicked, "Is it going to outlast my Reverie?"

    The red flames reached out as the tide of earth encroached.  Dodging the mass of matter was beyond the realm of my abilities.  I tightened my grip on my broom, closed my eyes, and braced for the Lava Cromlech to reach me.

    What hit me was a great stillness.  There was no pain, no shock, no change; it simply was.  Without notice or hesitation, the calm air settled around me.  It was so abrupt that I wondered, "Am I dead?"

    The silence was nerve wrecking; so I decided to take a peak at what was happening.  I opened my eyes and found the bookworm magician hunched over on the shelf top.

    "Maybe she overdid it?" I thought.

    Setting down nearby, I asked, "You all right, there?"

    "I feel a little anemic," she responded, which seemed a little forced.

    Since I wasn't satisfied with her answer, I asked again, "You all right, then?"

    "Yes," her voice sounded terrible, "but I can't recite my spells like this."

    "So..." from what I understood, it wasn't anything severe, but she couldn't continue the fight.  It felt hollow, but there was only one possible outcome, "I win?"

[Zer0Axiom]

    Conflict and confrontation are unavoidable when dealing with the powerful.  From the the opaque halls of foreign design, the pathway forward was stopped short.  A simple servant stood in defense of her master, but even the meek would not receive mercy when faced with judgment.  Bearing Gensokyo's safety, the Hakurei Miko brought judgment to the wicked, the foul, and the foolish alike.

    Formalities of battle were long forgone.  In the spacious arena of the the main foyer, Reimu and the tall maid were locked in a stalemate struggle.  As knives and talismans sailed to the walls, the two kept watch over the other's movements.  Reimu's clever multi-directional attacks kept the maid on edge while the maid's crafty sleight-of-hand volleys kept Reimu from gaining momentum.

    A multitude of cutting tools took flight and scattered across the room.  A seemingly random outburst at first, but the knives then preceded to change their trajectory and returned for another round at piercing Reimu.  With the chaos of the shifting blades, the maid then threw several more handfuls of knives at the preoccupied Reimu.

    The knives also held priority in a clash with the talismans, and though the odds stood in the maid's favor, the struggle would progress without change unless drastic actions were taken.  Seeking to put the dissonant guest in her place, the maid revealed her spell card and made the first move.

    "Illusion World: The World!"

    With a flurry of magical energy, a small gathering of spheres began drifting outwards.  Then, in the blink of her eyes, a wall of knives appeared and cut across the space in front of them.  With nothing more than luck, Reimu drifted through the cluster while receiving nothing more than a few small cuts on her arms and clothes.  After reaffirming her bearings, Reimu returned her gaze to the maid.

    Around the maid's location, there were three amulets that could still be activated.  As Reimu considered a few options, she opted for a long shot.  If the plan went well, it would give her an opportunity to use a spell card from a more effective range.  Gathering her focus, she set her plan into motion.

    As she moved to the left, the maid responded with a volley of knives and drifted in the opposite direction.  With the two circling each other once more, Reimu launched a barrage of talismans and moved overhead.  Taking a defensive stance, the maid returned fire to counter the talisman barrage and observed Reimu's movements.  Following the chance opening, Reimu activated her amulets and charged towards the maid.

    Startled by the reckless charge, the maid stepped back and was struck by the unseen amulets.  As she stumbled to a side, Reimu attacked with another wave of talismans and made ready her spell card.  In a bizarre act of defiance, the maid attacked at Reimu and endured the incoming set of talismans, preventing the optimal range that Reimu was seeking.  Having been driven back, Reimu landed a distance from the maid and reconsidered another course of action.

    "Not to be rude, but...," the maid spoke out to Reimu while removing the talismans from her clothes, "Were these paper things suppose to do something?"

    Confused at the conversation's abrupt rise, Reimu blankly explained, "They're talisman infused with spiritual power.  They can cause considerable damage to youkai."

    With the last talisman removed, the maid held it in hand and asserted, "... 'But are useless against human'?"

    Combining the facts, Reimu commented, "I guess that makes you human."

    "As such being the case," the maid proceeded with her inquiry as she tossed aside the talisman, "Do you have any means to cope with human targets?"

    "For a more crude approach, I have these needles," Reimu stated on a lackadaisical whim.  Revealing a small set of needles grasped between her fingers, she continued, "They aren't much different from the talismans, except-"

    "'They're still harmful to human flesh'," the maid concluded, "Most crude, indeed."

    "Well, thanks for the intermission," Reimu remarked playfully, "I won't need to waste time wondering why the talismans weren't working."

    "And I won't need to worry about those weird paper weapons of yours," the maid retorted.

    Resuming from where they left off, Reimu and the human maid circled one another as they prepared their respective tools.  With the effective loss of her amulets, this would become a battle of attrition for Reimu.

    "Where's Marisa when I need her?" she whispered.

    Although lacking in any discernible judgment of modesty and restraint, Marisa's magic made for an effective combat devise against all lifeforms.  Against your average human, she made for the perfect threat factor.  Now, when faced with a skilled human opponent, Reimu felt most appreciative for Marisa's indiscriminate destructive power.

    "I'm here!" Marisa announced as she plowed through the doorway from the northern corridor.

    In the distraction afforded by her entry, Reimu attacked the maid with her needles.  Injured from the surprise attack, the maid fled from the scene.

    "Don't think you've bested me yet!" she declared as she vanished from sight.

    "What was that all about?" Marisa asked, confused by the confrontation's sudden end.

    Exasperated, Reimu kept her explanation short, "Nothing.  Let's go."

    "Whatever," unsurprised by the nondescript explanation, Marisa cheered, "Let's go!"

[Zer0Axiom]

    The looming darkness, it is comforting and frightening.  There is a moment in which I desire its comforting embrace, but fear its cold touch.  Such a paradoxical thought, I wonder if I'll ever be free of its torment.  The peacefulness of solitude and the terror of seclusion, will I ever be free?

    As I regained consciousness, I found myself covered with books.  Taking a further glance at my surroundings, I noticed that I was sitting on one of the bookshelves.  Shaking off the headache that gripped at me, I slowly recalled the circumstances to my situation.

    I was moving some books that the Professor had finished using.  She had also instructed me to retrieve several other text from the section that I'd be in.  As I was managing to lighten the load, I remembered being struck from behind and then hitting my head.

    Shaking away the migraine, I reminded myself of my objective, "Better get back to my task."

    As I reached the shelf top, I heard a voice that I wasn't familiar with, "You all right, there?"

    "I feel a little anemic," it was the Professor that responded.

    I was lost in my thoughts as the conversation continued, "Were they fighting?  Did the Professor lose because of her anemia?  Who was that other person?"

    As I was pondering over some plausible explanations, I heard the professor coughing and without a moment's hesitation, I rushed to her side.  I really wasn't too sure what I was supposed to be thinking with the headache that graced me as I asked her, "Are you alright?  What happened?  Who is that person?"

    Between her coughs, the Professor managed a clear response, "...intruder..."

    "'Intruder'?  Understood," at least I think I understood.  The person that was with the professor was an intruder.  They were fighting because the Professor was trying to get rid of her.  Wait, was she the reason for my headache as well?

    Affixing a glare towards the intruder, I remarked, "Quite the troublemaker, aren't you?"

    The intruder was nonchalant as she mused, "So I get another admirer?  This is quite the night."

    "Who's you're admirer?" I instinctively interjected.  Taking notice of the fact that the Professor was still in my arms, I set her down as I confronted the intruder, "I will expel you from the grounds!"

    With a diabolical grin, the intruder continued her musing, "Perfect timing.  I was looking to let off some steam."

    If she was able to match the Professor in a fight, then I had little chance for victory.  Reconciling my doubt, I looked her over to study her condition.  There were a lot of burn marks on her clothes and a few abrasions on her skin.  If my guess was correct, she would have been slightly exhausted from the confrontation as well.  I was not very confident in my magic against her, but I felt I could probably beat her with close fighting.

    Using a small blast of magic to start, I circled around to her side.  The intruder moved to her side and appeared directly in front of me.  With such a remarkable opportunity, I struck at her and knocked her off her broom.

    "That wasn't very fair!" she protested, having tumbled over the shelf top from my attack.

    Although her protests seemed rather childish, I indulged her with a response, "All is fair in love and war.  Did you think I'd fight you on equal footing?"

    Tossing the broom aside, I charged in to defeat the intruder.  As I approached, she tried to ward off my advance with her own magic.  I was right to believe a direct attack would be best approach.  She scrambled away in her attempt to avoid my attacks.  Using my magic to corner her, I managed to pin her at an edge and sent her flying across the shelf top.

    As she dangled from the ledge, I closed in to finish her off.  When I reached striking range, she let go of the ledge and dropped down below.  Halting at the edge, I noticed her holding a spell card.

    "Love Sign!"

    Taking the defensive, I backed away to avoid the entrapment, but my retreat was cut short.  From behind, I was struck and pushed over the edge.  My eyes glanced behind me to see her broom had rammed into my back.  As I returned my gaze forward, I saw a wide grin on the intruder's face, "All's fair in love and war, right?"

    I had failed to stop the intruder.  I have failed the Professor's expectations of me.  With the accumulating magic that gathered from her spell, I would probably fail to survive the attack as well.  Completely helpless, I closed my eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry."

    "Master Spark!"

    With a blinding flash, I was enveloped in a rush of magical power.  The deafening roar pierced through me.  The pain clenched in my chest.  My consciousness faded.  "I'm sorry," echoed in my mind as my strength failed me.

[Zer0Axiom]

    Comrades are a treasure.  They are trusted and trusting.  They stand by you as you by them.  It is during my hour of peril that I realize how remarkable they are.

    Once again, I found myself in a bind.  If the many faeries from before were not enough, they were now in the presence of their true leader.  There was a clamor over the battle.  It seemed as if the other faeries wanted to assist Cirno in the fight.  It was with gradual persuasion that they resigned to keeping out of the duel.  If they were to keep to their word, then I would be facing Cirno in single combat.  It was an opportune respite since I did not have the strength to face a full confrontation with the many faeries present.

    Cirno grinned as she turned her attention back to me, "Sorry about that.  Now, I'll beat you fair and square.  Are you ready to get beaten?"

    Returning to my combat stance, I acceded to battle, "As you will, then."

    Cirno made the first move.  She formed a fragmented ring of icicles and then directed them towards me.  Shifting my weight around, I managed to avoid being pelted by the barrage.  Keeping on my toes, I kept watch to her movements.  Shortly after the icicles passed by, Cirno released a laser blast and I stumbled to avoid it.

    The prolonged fighting had begun to take its toll on me.  I expended a lot of my chi fighting with the miko and further drained my reserves against the faerie horde.  There was little more that I could do but struggle.  If nothing else, I might have a chance to defeat her if I struck quickly enough.  Without a moment's rest, I gathered my chi.

    Even as I faced Cirno, it took most of my strength to stand.  I would have only one chance to succeed.  Awaiting her attack, I followed for the opportunity to attack.  As she aimed her laser, I made my move.

    Charging at the bewildered faerie, I reached with a palm strike.  She stepped around it but was startled by my approach.  Continuing my assault, I kicked high to lure her to my side.  When she dodged into my trap, I closed in and drove my fist into her chest.  As she went flying a short distance away, I recoiled from the attack.

    In my haste, I neglected to consider the obvious.  It was a dangerous act to strike at an open flame, and frozen object were no better.  Cold air exuded from her presence and my fist nearly froze over from hitting her.  The chilblain was yet another factor to worry over with my current predicament.

    As she returned to her feet, Cirno fumed with anger, "Now I'm mad!  I'll use this!  Snow Sign: Diamond Blizzard!"

    In a burst of cold air, ice shards scattered about and I was caught in its torrential fury.  As I knelt from the pain and exhaustion, I closed my eyes and awaited my suffering.  As the cold currents flew past, I was shocked that I remained unharmed.

    "Was it possible that the attack would miss me entirely?" I wondered.

    After the winds were calm once more, I found myself completely unscathed.  By some strange miracle, the Diamond Blizzard spared me from Cirno's wrath.  With reluctant joy, I returned to my feet.  Cirno was not pleased and made ready to unleash another spell card.

    With the last of my strength, I rushed at her and attacked in desperation, "Even if I become paralyzed from the damage, I will defeat the enemy in front of me!"

    As I brought in my left hand, I struck out and hit her with my right.  As the pain drained my dwindling strength, I drove my left palm across her chin.  Completely disregarding the agony, I leapt over her and drove my right heel across her cheek.  With Cirno skidding across the ground, I twirled in the air and landed ungracefully onto my face.

    The faerie onlookers were no longer able to watch idly.  They attacked at me with swift retribution.  Devoid of any strength, I resigned myself to crushing defeat.  Just then, I was pulled away from the fatal barrage.  Several of the faerie maids emerged from the mist and attacked the faerie invaders.

    As I glanced at my saviors, a maid inquired to my condition, "Are you alright?  Can you move?"

    "I've felt worse," my voice would not respond.

    "We'll take care of things here."

    "Were they able to repel the intruders already?  Is that why they came to my aid?  Then, I did not fail in my duty?"

    Uncertainty clawed at my confidence as my consciousness faded to exhaustion.

[Zer0Axiom]

    "Master Spark!"

    A powerful burst of magic ruptured from my mini-hakkero.  Enveloping the youkai completely, it roared passed her with such remarkable force.  It may have been my imagination, but it felt like this Master Spark wasn't like the previous one.  It almost felt weaker, for some reason.

    Refusing to entertain such doubts, I turned my attention back to the bind I was in.  I let go of the ledge and propelled myself downward with the Master Spark; I faced terminal velocity.

    "Broom, to me!"

    Calling my broom, I flipped around and kicked off of a passing shelf.  As I reached out, my broom arrived within reach and I spiraled to a more manageable speed.  As I glanced back, I reached my free hand and caught the falling youkai as well.  Enduring the strain in my arms, I brought us both to a stop in time for her shoes to tap the floor below.

    "Now, don't say I didn't do nothin' for ya."

    I may well have been speaking to myself since she was unconscious.  I set her down and dropped to the floor as well.  Even though she was hit by my Master Spark from point-blank range, she was still breathing; if it had been me, I would have been reduced to ashes.

    "Youkai sure are frightening creatures."

    After catching my breath, I returned back to the top shelf.  I must have been falling at an incredible speed since it felt like an eternity going back up.  For once, I felt relieved that these rooms were of such ridiculous dimensions.

    Arriving at the top, I searched for that other magician.  I stumbled upon her as she lay sleeping.  She must have been very exhausted to have slept through all that racket.  As I marveled at her resting face, I noticed a familiar sound nearby.  To my horror, many books of magical propriety were surrounding me, again.

    In a panic, I waved my arms around.  When it seemed like they slowed down with the page flipping, I signaled towards the sleeping pyromaniac and clasped my hands in a "sleeping" fashion.  As I panned around at the books, they turned to one another in a steady fashion, then dispersed.

    "They're leaving?!  Or rather, they understood that?"

    I was at a loss.  Maybe, it was possible for them to be so capable as to understand me, like that one dubious entry that girl was reading earlier.

    "I just hafta get one!"

    I couldn't contain my enthusiasm.  As I pondered what to look at first, I remembered about Reimu and the mist that was still all around.  Sighing with displeasure, I left the book gathering for another time.

    "I can wait, I guess," I muttered while stuffing a single book in my shirt pocket space.

    When I got back out into the hallway, I tried to remember which way I was heading and from which I arrived.  Taking a random turn, I raced down one of them, "I'll circle around to her, eventually."

    I reached a corner and made a left.  From there, I found a set of double doors.  Continuing on, I burst through the doors and dynamically announced my arrival, "I'm here!"

    Thinking on it again, I would have felt very weird if no one who recognized me was there.  Fortunately, Reimu was there.  There was an unfamiliar person with her, but before I could get a good look, Reimu attacked her while she was looking at me.

    "Don't think you've bested me yet!" she declared; I'd have been pissed at a cheap shot like that, too.

    Then she vanished, like she was never there.  Everything happened so quickly that I didn't know what to think.

    Looking over to Reimu, I asked her, "What was that all about?"

    "Nothing," as always, Reimu didn't tell me much, "Let's go."

    "Whatever," shrugging off the expected avoidance, I echoed, "Let's go!"

    And so, we headed up the big stairs.  Was it really necessary for stairs to be that big?  At any rate, Reimu rounded a corner and followed the small balcony into another set of doors.

    "No reason not to follow," I mumbled as I chased after her.

    Inside the room, the thick mist made a return.  It was foggy throughout the house, but it wasn't as bad as it was in this particular room.  While wandering about, I felt the breeze carry across me.

    "Was there an open window here?"  Just then, a set of metal objects rained down from behind me.

    "You were late in getting here," rambled the strange person that ran away, "I was worried that you had run away."

    I didn't really understand what was happening, but I was still mad at being insulted for no reason, "You're the one that ran away!  And what do you mean late?!  You're early!"

    "Whatever," Reimu was as indifferent as always, "Are you ready to take us to your boss now?"

    With a light chuckle, the girl retorted, "Did you forget?  I'll never let you bother Madame."

    Not knowing what to say, I whispered a concern to Reimu, "So we gonna fight two-on-one?  Doesn't seem very fair to me."

    "Shut up, Marisa!" Reimu wasn't as indifferent as I believed.  Turning her attention back to the other girl, Reimu continued, "You!  I won't let you off so easy this time!"

    "Au contraire, it is I who will not be so forgiving to you."

    If there ever was a time that I felt like a third wheel, it would be now, "Seems like a lot happened while I wasn't around.  Maybe I'll sit this one out."

    "Shut up, Marisa!" once again, Reimu chided me, "Just fight her!"

    When Reimu turned to scold me, the fight began.  What's with these people and surprise attacks?  Zipping around, there were knives everywhere.  Sharp and fast, they skimmed by and it was very dizzying.  Was that why Reimu wanted a two-on-one?  Without hesitation, that girl declared a spell card.

    "Illusion World: The World!"

    And here I was thinking that the pyromaniac was overkill.  There were so many knives in the air that I was stunned.  Then, the knives suddenly changed directions.

    That's got to be illegal, right?  She shoots out a bunch of knives from nowhere and then makes them fly in strange directions?  Needless to say, Reimu and I were quite preoccupied with not getting diced to ribbons.  Then, the maid decided to use another card.

    "Maid Secret Skill: Killing Doll!"

    Another spell, another wave of killer knives with variable bearings, but what concerned me was that she was going at it a little too hard.

    "Hey!" I tried calling out to her, "If you keep that up-"

    "It doesn't matter so long as I stop you both!" she exclaimed before I could finish my words.

    "Reimu!" confused by her resolve, I turned towards Reimu for clarity, "She's-"

    "Human," Reimu's answer came as a surprise to me but she also asked, "Can you deal with her?"

    "What?  Er..."  It was a little much for me to comprehend, with all the knives flying around.  "So she was a human, and Reimu needed me to deal with her?  ... I feel so used."

    "Strange Arts: Eternal Meek!"

    This time it wasn't knives, go figure.  Her spell called forth a steady and dense wave of energy.  While maneuvering through the magical rush, I thought about the enemy before me.

    If she was a human, then it would explain why she seemed so run down.  Blasting spell cards in rapid succession was an exhausting feat, even for youkai.  Even if I could deal with her, I couldn't get passed her spell cards.  As I was going to tell Reimu, she got hit by a wave of the magic orbs.

    "Reimu!"

    In the blink of my eyes, she vanished.  I was shocked and rushed to where she was.  When I got there, I heard a thud from the distance and looked over to it.  Reimu was standing next to the maid, and the maid was lying on the floor.

    Everything happened so quickly that I was left utterly confused, "... what just happened?"

    Reimu sighed as if she was asked to point out the obvious, "I teleported behind her and knocked her out."

    Although it wasn't my place to judge the necessity of applied force, I asked anyway, "Wasn't that kinda excessive?"

    "She ruined my sleeve!" Reimu exclaimed as she held up her arm, "Look at it!"

    Reimu's right sleeve was missing from the elbow down.  Taking a closer look at her clothes, there were cuts and tears all around her skirt.  Shrugging at the display, I retorted, "Then you got lucky."

    I wasn't so fortunate.  The wide brim on my hat was missing entirely.  My skirt was at half its normal length.  My short sleeves were no longer in existence.  Then to top it off, there was burnt holes all over my clothes.

    "You're just unskilled," Reimu chuckled.

    It was a nice change of pace since the maid's rampage came as a surprise to me.  With a sigh, I approached Reimu and asked, "What's next?"

    Just then, an incredible aura filled the room.  It was overflowing with malevolence.  As I was turning around to find its source, Reimu yelled out, "Behind!"

    We moved away and from behind me, the maid stood tall and radiated with a terrifying animosity.

    "You've got to be kidding..."

[Tengukami]

You have really animated writing; it's very visual, which I like. I'm especially looking forward to Chapter 5.

[Zer0Axiom]

You have really animated writing; it's very visual, which I like. I'm especially looking forward to Chapter 5.

Chapter 5?  I'm not looking forward to it all that much...  as things stand, I see three outcomes with it

• Include Everything: which will lead into some kind of 90++ Segment collection
• Include Only S.D.M.: which will produce, maybe, 30ish Segments
• Key Points Only: which will leave the action a little sparse

I'm not too sure how it'll pan out(as far as pacing goes), but it's still too far ahead to be a concern, yet.  Then again, I'm more interested in Ch.6, but that's kinda obvious.

As to my writing, it has something to do with the way I follow events, organize reactions, and treat battles(I think).  Maybe I'm giving myself too much credit, but that's what I believe.

Either way, I can only continue as I can whether you continue liking it or not.  30 more re-posts until the new stuff... oh joy!

[Zer0Axiom]

    In Gensokyo, there exists things far beyond the imaginable: frightening, awe inspiring, trivial, and all round unexplainable things.  To the average human, it was more than what one was expected to cope with, but there comes a time when one must stand and cope.  As the Hakurei Miko and her companion faced against such a time, how will they fare?

    "You've got to be kidding..."

    The unconscious maid wasn't looking so unconscious.  Her presence emanated with a sinister energy.  It was unnatural, but not unexpected.  Reimu remained calm and considered any possible attack options.

    Magical energy surged from the maid and showered onto Reimu and Marisa.  It left little room to maneuver and even less opportunity to attack.

    "What's going on, Reimu?" Marisa wasn't so calm.  It was apparent that she didn't fully understand what had transpired.

    While shifting her words around, Reimu explained as best she was able, "She's sorta possessed."

    "Well, obviously!" Marisa protested sardonically, "But how?  When?"

    Pressured by Marisa's impatience, Reimu sighed to clear her thoughts.  Thinking of a prime example, she continued, "It's not much different from when you were with Mima."

    "What's that mean!?  I wasn't like that at all!" Marisa rejected the notion of her being possessed by someone else.

    Expecting Marisa's doubt, Reimu clarified her explanation, "You just didn't notice.  When a human holds faith in a greater being, they draw power from that being.  If it's a god, they receive divine blessings.  When it's a youkai, they receive some of that youkai's power."

    Understanding complex philosophies during a fight was not an easy task, but it wasn't any easier to explain them.  Being blunt as always, Marisa spoke her mind, "That doesn't make sense... so how do we stop her?"

    Unsurprised by Marisa's frankness, Reimu answered, "Like anyone else, but-"

    "Then, leave it to me," Marisa declared after hearing what she was hoping to hear.

    "Wait!  Marisa!" Reimu pleaded unsuccessfully.

    Having ignored Reimu's plea, Marisa activated her trusty Master Spark.  As the blast roared across the room, Marisa was certain in having stopped the deviant maid.  When the powerful magic wound to a calm, Marisa turned her sights to Reimu as she prepared to signal her triumph.

    "Look out!"

    Startled by Reimu's shout, Marisa pulled away from her spot in time for a collection of knives to sail by.  As she slowed to a halt, the animosity came pouring out from behind her.  In a panic, Marisa tried to turn away and received a cut across her cheek.  Had Reimu not stepped in, Marisa's chest would have a new hole placed in it.

    With her back to Marisa, Reimu chided, "Don't just sit there: move!"

    With fear gripping at her mind, Marisa bolted around the room as she called back to Reimu, "What'd she do?"

    "She's teleporting around, or something," Reimu reasoned while also meandering aimlessly throughout the room, "So you can't hit her normally."

    Still shaken by the maid's overly dominant capabilities, Marisa plainly mumbled, "Then, what can we do?"

    After a moment of thought, Reimu asked, "Can you still Spark?"

    Confused in general, Marisa informed Reimu, "I've still got one more in me."

    Satisfied with the reply, Reimiu commanded, "Then, wait for my signal and let her have it."

    It was dangerous to leave her alone, but Reimu's ingenuity had a tendency of being successful.  Swallowing her doubts, Marisa conceded to Reimu's plan.

    Taking the lead, Reimu circled back to the maid's malevolent aura.  Her plan was more suicidal than she preferred, but there wasn't a better option.  She charged at the rampant maid and lured her to a closer proximity.  Being mindful of the magic and knives, Reimu slowly waited for the moment to ripen.

    "Now!"

    Marisa was doubtful to Reimu's timing, "If I shoot now, She's just going to teleport away, isn't she?"  Placing her faith in Reimu's plan, Marisa activated her spell card.

    "Love Sign!"  "Dream Sign!"

    Reimu also activated her spell card.  "What's she planning?"  Marisa wondered as she took aim with her mini-hakkero.

    It was Reimu's intent to keep the maid from moving.  If a binding circle could enclose her, it would give Marisa a chance to hit with Master Spark.  In anticipation to a possible retreat during the plan's execution, she left enough time to cover possible escape routes.  As Reimu followed her intuition, she teleported to a different location and ensnared her trap.

    "Evil Sealing Circle!"

    Following the cue, Marisa unleashed her Master Spark towards Reimu's Circle.  Just as she hoped, the new infusion of demonic energy allowed for the Evil Sealing Circle to bind the maid's movements.  The defenseless maid was then hit full on with Master Spark.  Since Reimu's Circle wouldn't outlast the long Spark, it was fortunate that the maid doubled as a body shield.  After the blast settled, all three collapsed to the floor.

    "That went well," Rimu sighed with relief.

    Marisa exclaimed her concerns, "That was dangerous!  Are you crazy!?"

    With a displeased glare, Reimu sneered, "I'm perfectly fine.  Anyway, stay here with her."

    "What?!  I'm going with you!" Marisa objected with unvoiced concerns for her own safety instead of Reimu's.

    "Look, it's dangerous to leave her unattended," Reimu explained as she formulated a more plausible reason, "And besides, you don't know how to exorcise a possession."

    "Yes I do!" Marisa protested before momentarily stuttering, "Ju-just, uh, ex-terminate the youkai."

    "Wrong!" Reimu declared, "Just stay here and keep watch."

    Reimu's harsh attitude wasn't from ungratefulness or arrogance.  One look at Marisa told her that she was completely drained of any applicable strength.  If she was to face Madame in such a state, it would be beyond dangerous and border along stupidity.

    "... whatever," Marisa grumbled as she conceded to Reimu's orders.

    Relieved with Marisa's cooperation, Reimu headed onward.  Even though she was not in any appreciable fighting condition, she would have to make do.  There was no turning back, and getting Marisa involved was not acceptable.

    Sighing away her doubts, Reimu stepped out onto the open air balcony.  On the balcony, she found four sets of tables with four chairs apiece.  Upon the table closest to her right, there was a cup with tea set upon a saucer.  The tea was still warm, indicating its drinker left only recently.  As she looked around, a loud ringing echoed across the sky.  It came from overhead.  Following the sound, she arrived on the rooftop.

    Before her stood a little girl.  With a fancy dress that glowed red with the enveloping mist, she had black wings that were draped over her shoulders.  Wearing a poofy hat over her short blue hair,  she was looking up at a large clock tower on the roof.

    As Reimu approached her, the girl spoke, "I knew it.  Humans are useless."

    Thinking that engaging in small talk would give her some breathing space, Reimu entertained the conversation, "Was that maid really human?"

    "You," the girl turned and pointed at Reimu, "You're the murderer."

    "This conversation is too weird to be considered a conversation," concealing her displeasure, Reimu continued with the talking, "But that one won't make me a mass murderer."

    "And so...?"

    "Ah," Reimu was not following the randomness to well.  Moving for a change in topic, she added, "Right, there's a problem here: you."

    "How simple," the little girl smirked, "And you don't even know why."

    "Anyway," Reimu interceded to bring the conversation back into focus, "Can I ask you to leave?"

    With a faint shade of confusion, the girl inquired, "But is this castle not mine?  Should it not be you, then, who leaves?"

    Taking the opportunity to taunt the girl's logic, Reimu replied, "I want you to leave this world."

    "Oh my," the girl shot Reimu with a look of surprise before chuckling lightly, "Such a troublesome request."

    Feeling mocked by the laughter, Reimu declared, "Without that maid, taking care of you should be no problem."

    "That's because Sakuya excels at her duties," the girl retorted, "Isn't it?"

    "Actually," Reimu openly pondered, "Can you do anything by yourself?"

    "I'm not sure," the girl answered without a moment's thought, "You see, I'm not allowed out much."  Then, in a whispering voice, she added, "The sun's bad for my health."

    "... you don't say," Reimu felt addled by the girl's overly familiar tone.

    "Ah, the moon glows red tonight," the girl mused.

    As Reimu looked up from her exasperation, she saw the girl grinning at her.  With a long sigh, Reimu grumbled, "This is going to be a long night."

[Zer0Axiom]

    Life is a plague, intermittent with suffering and displeasure.  As time flows forward, those in its current are swept towards an unfamiliar future.  Taking solace in the prospect of redemption or salvation, they struggle to exist in ignorance of their fates.  Even I am not exempt.  As I gaze upon the world from my seat, I wonder, "What am I doing?  Am I seeking something in particular to occur?  Is there anything I am able to do?"

    "What will they be like?" I whisper to myself as I sipped my tea.

    The commotion had arrived at the main gates as I awaited patiently for their appearance.  It would soon be time to test the new rules of this world.  Although, it had not been long since I came into this fantasy, there had been little in the way of entertainment as before.  With few whom would be able to entertain me, this new rule should suffice to keep things interesting.  Awaiting the climax was a tedious moment, but it shall all be worthwhile; of that, I'm certain.

    Returning my attention to the gates, I ordered my maid, "Sakuya, another cup."

    "At once, Madame," she aptly replied.

    Sakuya had been most remarkable.  From the moment that I first met her, it had been one enjoyable moment after another.  Now that she made herself into my perfect maid, there was nothing out of place in my home with my every whim promptly addressed.

    Even though I felt appreciative of her devotion to me, I was unable to keep myself in good spirits.  There were things to be done and tonight was when the wheel would start to spin.

    "Madame, your tea," she stated as she set a warm cup of tea before me.

    Content with the evening's state, I dismissed her, "That shall be all, Sakuya.  Be mindful of your other duties this evening."

    "Of course, Madame," having acknowledged my order, Sakuya curtsied, then turned to leave.

    The guests for tonight's entertainment have already made their way into the mansion.  They were even so generous as to leave a gift for my viewing pleasure, "I must thank them for that later."

    Meiling, whom stands watch over the front gate, had engaged in battle with the faeries of the lake.  It seemed as though she would be in for more than she was ready for, but that didn't matter to me as I commented, "She shall perform magnificently."

    The halls would become very lively with their arrival, and I hoped to find what I sought with them.  Since it would be a while yet before they reached me, I wondered, "What shall I do to pass the time?"

    As I thought of "time," I recalled the tower keep with the large bell clock on the rooftop.

    "Perhaps, I shall pass the time with that."

    The Bell Tower Keep was from before my time.  It served as a lookout post for the local town.  After it crumbled away, Patchouli made good of its remains and converted it into a clock tower.  Not as any ordinary clock either, Patchouli's bell only sounded during the peak hours of night so as to not awaken me from my rest.  Such a considerate and thoughtful gesture, it was not a mistake to consider her my friend.

    There were no whims that they would not pursue, so long as it was my will.  So much, have these people given for me.  I wondered if there was anything more I could do for them; especially for...

    "Clang... clang... clang..."

    I lost me place in thought as the clock's bell began its call.  Rather, I was lost in thought until the bell called for my return.  Truly, a wonderful gift.

    "I knew it," behind me stood the evening's guest, and I could smell the blood on her, "Humans are useless."

    "Was that maid really human?" she retorted.

    She was probably speaking of Sakuya.  In all actuality, Sakuya really was a human.  It's surprising even to me.

    "You," turning to face her, I pointed to the guest for dramatic appeal, "You're the murderer."

    "But that one won't make me a mass murderer," her humor was quite interesting.

    Although I was quite aware of her reason for visiting, I opened for her explanation, "And so...?"

    "Ah," she really didn't seem too bright as she spoke, "Right, there's a problem here: you."

    "How simple, and you don't even know why," I mused.

    I have always been the cause for troubles and problems.  It was a curse, but there was no need to tell her of such things.

    With a look of annoyance, she said, "Anyway, can I ask you to leave?"

    Mocking her formality, I asked, "But is this castle not mine?  Should it not be you, then, who leaves?"

    "I want you to leave this world," she clarified.

    "Oh my," I gasped with exaggeration.  Laughing lightly, I mused, "Such a troublesome request."

    "Without that maid, taking care of you should be no problem," she asserted.

    Casually, I assented, "That's because Sakuya excels at her duties.  Isn't it?"

    With a grieved expression, she asked, "Actually, can you do anything by yourself?"

    "I'm not sure.  You see, I'm not allowed out much," I explained before whispering, "The sun's bad for my health."

    "... you don't say," she murmured with a deadened gaze that reminded me of the moon.

    "Ah, the moon glows red tonight," I mused, having turned my attention towards the sky.

    The moon's light filtered through the scarlet mist with such an invigorating hue.  I returned my gaze to my guest with a bright smile on my face.

    Her troubled expression gave way to a sigh as she grumbled, "This is going to be a long night."

    Although I was understanding of her exasperation, I couldn't help but express my enthusiasm, "Looks like it's going to be a fun night."

    Satisfied with the mood, I unfurled my wings and made my proclamation, "I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil, and I declare battle by spell cards."

    She responded with a dumbfounded expression and I found it most uncouth, "Don't be making that kind of face.  Isn't it in the rules to announce one's intent to fight?"

    "Oh.  Yeah, I guess so," she vaguely affirmed.

    With an abbreviated silence that followed, I stirred, "...well?"

    "'Well' what?" she sneered

    "Such a lack of courtesy and etiquette," staving off my disappointment, I noted to her, "Aren't you going to introduce yourself, or even acknowledge the duel?"

    Receiving my explanation, she introduced herself, "I am the Hakurei Miko. My name is Reimu.  What are the terms of this duel?"

    "I'll use five spell cards," I announced.

    After a brief moment, she said, "Then, I'll use three.  I'm the challenger since you announced the duel, right?"

    "Of course," I affirmed as I made my stipulation, "After I win, you'll leave me be."

    "And you'll stop with all this mist after you lose," she jeered.

    "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way," concluding the proceedings, I inquired, "Are you ready to begin?"

    "Then begin!" she demanded.

    At the commencement of battle, a magical field enclosed our surroundings.  From within it, I felt a powerful barrier form around both Reimu and myself.

    "The duel's outcome will be measured by these?" I whispered to myself.

    As the duel had already begun, I proceeded with my attack.  I began with an out pour of magic that carried across a wide area.  The attack was modest in display, but it served to measure my opponents effectively enough.

    As Reimu glided through the blasts, I was impressed with her grace, "Even after fighting all the way to me, she still moves so well."

    As she fired back at me, I notice that there was a discrepancy in the nature of our barriers.  My barrier, as the caster, covered a large area around me whereas Reimu's barrier, as the challenger, was very compact in size and shape.  It made hitting me a simple task and hitting her a skillful challenge.

    "Was this also part of the Spell Card Rule?" I pondered while my barrier took a fair amount of damage.  So, I declared my first spell card.

    "Divine Retribution: Young Demon Lord!"

[Zer0Axiom]

    "It's boring!  I know I said I'd wait here, but it's not like the maid is going to be waking up anytime soon, is she?  She didn't make me stay here for nothing, did she?"

    Yes, I was talking to myself.  I was left alone with the possessed maid as Reimu headed for the boss at the end.  Now that I was fully rested, I was getting bored.

    "I think, I'll go and scope out some more books.  It'll only be for a little while.  You don't mind, right?"

    I was so bored, I was even talking to the maid.  I instinctively turned to her as I addressed her and froze on site.  The maid was returning to her feet.

    Stunned from the inhumanly feat, I gasped, "It's a joke, right?"

    Her deep red eyes pierced into my soul.  I wanted very much to run away and cry.  How was I supposed to fight against someone who can survive my Master Spark if Master Spark was my best shot?  Not to mention, I was in no condition to be using more of it, either.

    I looked shyly around from my shock and noticed that all the knives were not on the ground any longer.  Taking flight, I bolted at my best speed and heard the clash of metal resonate behind me.

    "Can't we talk about this?" I offered.

    From the haze of conflict, I believe I heard her reply of, "... kill..."

    "Guess not," I mused.

    If it was gong to be a do-or-die moment, I'd rather take my chances.  Looping around, I tried to study my foe.  It would take everything I had.

    "I'm not goin' down without a fight!" I declared.

    "... although I knew it wouldn't be easy, this is ridiculous!"

    My lasers were reflecting off of the knives and my missiles were being neutralized by her magic.  This would take more than sheer force, and I was in serious trouble.

    The stress was getting to me as I kept talking to myself, "You can do it, Marisa.  Just calm down and think."

    After taking another loop around the room, I noticed that the maid stayed between the stairs and the balcony windows across the room in the center.  She would teleport between three spots in the area depending on how close or far I became.  I tried a little experiment to see if I could hit her.

    I started by moving away to lure her closer.  As she moved into the location that I anticipated, I launched a cluster of missiles towards her.  Then, I fired a laser at the knives and had it reflect at an angle.  Finally, as she dodged the laser, I circled around and arrived behind her.

    "It worked!"

    Unfortunately, that was all I had in plan since I didn't think it would work so well.  I scurried away in an attempt to not be filleted.  The maid gave chase and was always within arm's length.  I was panicking and couldn't piece together a functional defense.

    I just ran around and hoped something would come to me.  It was then that I realized that I was cornered.  She chased me into the far corner, and I found myself between the walls and a sharp set of knives.

    In a last ditch effort, I fired a laser and reached for my mini-hakkero.  As I weaved around the knives, one of them hit my hat off my head.  As my body flinched, another cut across my leg.  With my focus disintegrating, I saw another set approach at me.

    My reflexes pulled me away in time to dodge the attack, but caused mini-hakkero to fall from my hand.  I reached out to catch it, but another set of knives pushed it farther away.  With my spirits crushed, the knives then knocked my broom out of my grip.  Falling into despair, I felt the knives cut into my chest as I crumbled onto the floor below.

    "... this... is it...  it's... over...  I'm... gonna die...  good-bye... cruel world..." my words were a bit melodramatic, but I really thought I was going to die.

    I laid there, and cried a few tears, "It wasn't quite as peaceful as I thought it would be."

    I tried to reflect upon my short life, but the pain strangled my thoughts.  As I rolled my head around, I found that it really hurt.  I wrapped my hands around my head and tried to soothe the throbbing anguish.

    "Does this mean I'm not dead?"

    Confused as to what was happening to me, I heard a clatter.  One of the knives fell from my chest and hit the floor.  As I took a closer look, all of the knives didn't hit me at all.  They cut into the magic book I had grabbed from the pyromaniac.

    Hugging the book with great affection, I exclaimed, "You're my new favorite book!  I'll call you... uh... Favorite Book!"

    My brain wasn't working too well at that point.  In my ecstasy, I almost forgot about the bloodthirsty maid.

    Shielding my head, I raised my arms, "Protect me, Favorite Book!"

    There was only silence that followed.  Curious as to whether Favorite Book was able to drive away the maid, I peaked out from the corner.  There, in plain sight, was the maid.

    She was unharmed, except for a few burns from earlier, but what was strange was that she was looking around.  So I looked as well.  There wasn't anything out of the ordinary except that there wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

    Opening my big mouth, I muttered, "What happened to all the mist?"

    "Madame!" the maid cried as the reality of the situation dawned upon her.

    "Yes, Sakuya?" from the balcony above me, a voice replied to the maid.  Was she the boss?

    "Madame, you're-  !" the maid responded with relief before hesitating.

    From her pause, I'd have guessed she was hurt or something, but what caught the maid's eyes was that Reimu was behind Madame.

    With her free-spirited tone, she asked, "Is this your hat up here, Marisa?"

    "Yeah," I replied, relieved that Reimu was alright, "It is."

    With a firm, demure voice, Madame called, "Sakuya."

    "Yes, Madame?" the murderous maid replied.

    With a subtle gesture, the command followed, "Have some tea prepared for my guests."

    "Understoo-"

    "Remilia!" came a cry from the outer balcony.

    Turning our collective attention to the outburst, we took sight of the pyromaniac from the library entering into view.

    "And for Patchouli as well," the little master-lady continued.

    "Of course," the maid acknowledged with a calm smile.

    "I guess they're done with the fighting," I pondered with this situation before me.  Uncertain as to what to think, I asked, "Was that all?"

    Having drawn attention with my question, the master turned and asked in turn, "Won't you be joining us for tea, little witch?"

    "Didn't you already order tea for me?" hovered into mind, but as I was at a partial loss for a response, I muttered, "I have a name, y'know."

    With a slightly displeased gaze, she continued, "Your point being...?"

    "Nothing strange, right?" Reimu interrupted.  Was she really staying for tea?

    "It's perfectly normal," the ever poised lady replied as she gestured to her maid, "For a human, at least."

    "Good enough," Reimu flatly remarked.

    From her answer, it seemed she really was staying for tea.  Not wanting to be excluded, I chimed in, "Then, I guess I'll stay, too."

[Zer0Axiom]

    Those whom are born from the cold abyss do not know fear because they have no hope.  Is it from this point that hope gives rise to fear?  When there is nothing to gain nor lose, there is nothing to fear.  As comforting as that logic can be, it is impossible to be without hope and still be content.  From my hopes, I find the true terror of fear, and now, I'm afraid of death.

    "Is this what it's like to be dead?" I mused.

    A gentle warmth flowed over my body.  It was relaxing and eased my mind.  Gradually, my eyes opened, and I saw the Professor sitting next to me.

    "Are you awake now?" she greeted.

    "I'm... not dead?" I asked from my muddled state.

    "Pretty close, but not quite," the Professor replied, "You're pretty hard to get rid of."

    With a shy laugh, I tried to sit upright.  I guess the Professor healed my wounds since I was unlikely to have remained uninjured after what I went through.  Grasping my head to calm a resounding headache, I looked around at where I was.

    "We're still in the library," the Professor explained, "This is the basement floor.  You had quite the fall, considering the shelf's height."

    From the jumble of confused concerns, I asked, "What about the intruder?"

    With a faint sigh, the Professor mused, "She went on ahead, I suppose."

    "Then shouldn't we go after her?" I pressed.

    "Actually, we're needed elsewhere," the Professor remarked to my increased confusion.

    Seeking clarity, I demanded, "Where else would we be needed if not-"

    "It seems there's a commotion at the gate," the Professor interrupted, "It will be problematic if it isn't resolved soon."

    It was unlikely for a problem to arise at the main gate, but if the Professor said that there's a problem, I'll believe her.  Rising to my feet, I confirmed my orders, "I should go the front gate and assist in resolving the commotion?"

    "Yes," the Professor acknowledged, "I'll be along shortly as well."

    "Understood," I confirmed.

    It was only natural for the Professor to stay behind and rest a while longer.  It must have been exhausting to heal my not-quite-dead carcass back to functioning condition.  Concentrating my magic, I shifted myself to the main entryway.

    My shift magic was a bit strange.  What happened was I disappear from existence and then return as if nothing had happened.  It differed slightly from teleporting in that I wasn't really moving from one point to another.  I stopped existing and then returned into existence someplace else; I guess it's a little hard to explain.

    My magic could affect nearby things as well, but it's a lot harder.  So far, nothing major happened when the magic failed, which was bizarre.  At any rate, the Professor wanted me to practice using it so I shall.

    After arriving at the entryway, I headed out the main doors and reached the front gardens where I called out, "Meli!"

    "How many times must I tell you not to call me that, Sol?" she chided without looking my way.

    "What's going on here?" I asked as I surveyed the area.

    With fleeting thought, she replied, "Battle erupted between the faeries of the lake and our faerie maids."

    "Why?" I pondered, "It doesn't make sense."

    "The faeries are really after one of the intruders inside, but since I denied them entry..."

    Catching ear of a particularity, I interrupted, "'Intruders'?  As in more then one?"

    "They were chasing after the one in black," Meiling confirmed.

    Feeling my heart skip a beat, I shyly asked, "With the bright blast-thing?"

    "Yes," she plainly confirmed.

    "Well," shrugging off my shiver, I returned my thoughts to my instruction, "We need to get things under control before the Professor gets here."

    Taking surprise from my remark, Meiling asked, "Patchouli is helping as well?"

    "In a little bit," I affirmed, "Until then, we'll have to make do."

    "Very well then," Meiling acknowledged.  After returning her gaze past the gardens, she continued, "Over by the gate is a blue ice faerie named Cirno.  She is their leader, and unfortunately, I cannot even touch her."

    I was startled to hear of a creature that Meiling couldn't beat.  Blankly, I stated my doubt, "Is she really that strong?"

    Reconsidering her remark, Meiling explained, "No, she freezes whatever she touches so I am unable to touch her."

    "Oh...," I murmured.  It was a bit disappointing but also very reassuring to hear that explanation.  Striking up my initiative, I offered, "Well, I'll handle her then."

    "Are you sure?" Meiling questioned doubtingly, "You do not seem to be in any fighting condition."

    After reexamining myself, I noticed that my clothes were in tatters.  Cuffs, collar, and a string of buttons were all that was left of my chemise while half of my dress was missing entirely.  It was only fitting considering what I went through.

    Shrugging off the complaint, I explained, "I just didn't have time to change is all.  I'm fine, really."

    Even if it was a weak sounding excuse, there was nothing more Meiling could say about it.  We agreed on an approach and set forth to stave off the faerie assault.

    Charging into the maelstrom, Meiling drove apart the faerie mass and gave me an opening to rush at the leader, Cirno.  As I closed her flank, I fired out a magic barrage and chased her movements.  Driving her away from the mass of faeries, I continued my assault and kept close watch over her movements.

    It wasn't like she was a master fighter or anything, but she was an abnormally persistent faerie.  As my magic pinned her, she shot back and tried to scurry by.  I would shoot at her again and she would shoot back while moving in a different direction.  This bizarre exchange continued for a while.

    "You!" she called, having reached the limits of her patience; the faerie declared, "You're in my way!"

    "Am I?" I questioned playfully.

    "Do you want me to hurt you, too?" she asked as she fumed with anger.

    Gesturing a thinking pose, I remarked, "Hm, may-be..."

    "Then, eat this!" she retorted.

    As I wondered what she would do, she revealed a spell card.  I was shocked since I can't even get one to work right.  Then, again, that was probably the reason why she was made leader.

    "Hail Sign: Hailstorm!"

    With a cold burst of air, numerous rows of ice formed around her and began to drift about.  As I tried to keep from being enclosed by ice, I made an effort to clear away the shards.  To my amazement, the icicles defused my magic and kept driving by.

    "So this is what a spell card is like?"

    Meandering through the cold and ice, I found the difference in power to be disheartening, "To think that a faerie could be this much stronger that I am."

    As the storm receded to a calm, I was trying my best to keep warm, "May-be this was-sn't s-such a good idea, after all?"

    "Cold already?  I'm just getting started," with an ever widening grin, the summer's bane unveiled another spell card, "Snow Sign: Diamond Blizzard!"

    In my shock, I asked a redundant question, "Exactly how many spell cards do you have?!"

    "How many?  Um, I don't know.  Hmm..."

    "Wait, she's seriously pondering how many she has?"

    As Cirno's concentration drifted from the fight, her Diamond Blizzard lessened into a gentle flurry.  It was so harmless, I almost cried.  With a new plan in mind, I smiled as I murmured, "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."

    Recollecting my composure, I interrupted her concentration, "Ah, excuse me.  Are you, by chance, Cirno?"

    Startled, she asked, "Huh?  How'd you know my name?"

    I cried while feigning excitement, "Oh my! You really are Cirno!  It's so exciting!"

    "What's so exciting?" she asked confusingly.

    Portending a shyness within, I answered, "I'm not sure if you've heard, but your very powerful."

    "I-I guess that's true.  I am, aren't I?" she casually agreed.  It seemed as though she was blushing.  I couldn't believe how gullible she was.

    Continuing my act, I hesitantly murmured, "Well, I was wondering if it was at all possible for you to, maybe, that is to say..."

    "...yeah?" she pressed anxiously.

    Breaking away to reel her in, I mutter in reply, "N-no, I-I shouldn't be bothering you like this.  I'm so sorry."

    Showing her curiosity, she continued to press, "What?  What is it?"

    "Are you sure I can ask you?" I quietly ask.

    "Go ahead, already," she plainly demanded, "I'm in a good mood right now."

    Finding the first phase of my plan successful, I assessed my options.  Deciding on a roundabout approach, I hesitantly stated, "Well, it just so happens that I heard that you are very skilled at freezing things.  Um, is it true?"

    "Of course, it is!" she replied as though it was obvious, "It's my specialty to freeze frogs."

    "Wow!  That's so amazing!" I openly mused for effect.  Following a momentary pause, I continued, "Um, I was wondering, if you could, maybe..."

    "'Maybe'...?" she parroted with eagerness.

    "... maybe... freeze one?" I requested, "Especially for me?"

    "Um," thinking on the sudden request, she replied, "Sure!"

    "Re-really?" I stammered.

    Nodding at my question, she remarked, "Yeah, I can freeze one real quick."

    Moving her directive accordingly, I informed her, "I heard that there are rare frogs near the northern river bank.  You should try to get one of those.  I'm sure you'll be able to."

    "What's so great about those?" she questioned doubtingly.

    Pressed for a reply, I offered as an answer, "Well, they're the kinds you can only find at night.  That makes them very rare, right?"

    "And you want me to go and freeze one of those for you?" she asked as if interrogating me.

    Feeling pressured from her tone, I tried to defuse the situation with an outcry, "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have bothered you.  I'm sure you don't want to."  Glancing shyly back and forth, I hesitantly muttered, "It's just..."

   "Huh?" she asked having caught ear of my subdued remark, "What is it?"

    "It's just," continuing with my previous remark, I explain, "I've always thought that you were amazing."

    With a confident stance, she affirmed, "I am amazing!"

    "Then, you'll do it?" I pressed so as to not lose the moment.

    "Yeah!  I'll go right now!" she replied.

    Without even stopping to consider what happened, Cirno left for the river's northern bank.  That took some time, but she probably won't be back for a while.

    Content with the results, I mused, "Guess I'll go help at the gate."

[Zer0Axiom]

    Dependency and reliance, they are words that express trust.  It displays one's confidence and acceptance when there is dependence.  There is familiarity and appreciation when there is reliance.  Even when they are rarely expressed, there are no doubts to their existence.  It is imperative that one becomes a dependable person that can be relied upon.

    A sharp sound pierced my ears.  Awakening from the stillness, I examined my surroundings.  In the corner of my eyes, I saw what caused the sound.  The gate's doors were hanging by their hinges and opened a path to all before them.

    As I tried to return to my feet, an intensity gripped at my hands.  They were swollen to the size and shape of grapefruits; my fingers coiled around my palms and refused to move.  I had risked all in a gambit, and this swelling was only a natural result.

    "This is only fair," I mumbled as I resumed my efforts to rise.

    Seeing me try to stand, a faerie maid came to assist me, "Are you feeling better?"

    "Well enough," I replied before asking, "What has been happening?"

    With a defeated look, she explained, "We've been trying to stop them, but Cirno's been beyond our control."

    It would appear that my gambit failed to stop the lead faerie.  Looking on to the battle from the gardens, Cirno was dominating the maids.

    "Ice Sign: Icicle Fall!"  "Eek!"

    As I tried to calm by despair, I asked the maid, "Were you not to remain in the manor?  Why are you outside?"

    "Well, ... you see... um ..." Fumbling over her reply, she then asked, "You won't tell, will you?"

    Taken in by her pitiable gaze, I reassured her, "You saved my life, and I shall requite that debt fairly."

    Bursting with her confession, she rapidly explained, "There was an intruder in the mansion and when we tried to stop her, we were completely outmatched.  Then we ran into Sakuya-san and she was mad that we were making a mess so we sorta ran away."

    According to the maid, they encountered one of the intruders, were defeated, scolded, and then fled.  It was upsetting to hear that the intruder was not stopped by the maids, but there was nothing more that can be done.

    As I turned my attention back to the damaged gate, I heard a voice from behind, "Meli!"

    Meli was an abbreviated nickname that Sol called me by when she was still learning to speak.  It was unmistakable and was still as annoying to me as ever.

    Containing my agitation, I reprimanded her, "How many times must I tell you not to call me that, Sol?"

    "What's going on here?" she inquired as she surveyed the gardens and ignored my remark.

    Collecting my composure, I informed her, "Battle erupted between the faeries of the lake and our maid faeries."

    There was no other way to explain it.  The chaos was driven by the numerous faeries and no one else.

    "Why?" she pressed, "It doesn't make sense."

    I was inclined to agree with her, but offered as an explanation, "The faeries are really after one of the intruders inside, but since I denied them entry..."

    "'Intruders'?" swirling her attention to me, she asked, "As in more then one?"

    Judging from the shock, it became apparent that she only encountered one of the intruders.  Scanning my recollection, I clarified,, "They were chasing after the one in black."

    "With the bright blast-thing?" she sheepishly asked to which I plainly confirmed.

    For her to have known that, I wondered as to what happened to her.  It was clear that she fought with the intruder.  Although, it was also a possibility that she won, the terror filled gaze I saw indicated that she lost.  Those intruders seemed to be more powerful than I imagined.

    Breaking the pause, Sol interjected, "Well, we need to get things under control before the Professor gets here."

    "Patchouli is helping as well?" I dumbly asked.

    "In a little bit," she confirmed, "Until then, we'll have to make do."

    "Very well then," I assented.

    This was very reassuring news since Patchouli would be able to repel the mass of faeries without difficulty.  If we were to hold for reinforcements, then I needed to inform Sol of the enemy forces.

    Directing her attention, I identified our biggest concern, "Over by the gate is a blue ice faerie named Cirno.  She is their leader.  Unfortunately, I cannot even touch her."

    "Is she really that strong?" Sol asked with shocking disbelief in her words.

    I smiled slightly to the thought of what she might have imagined as I clarified my words, "No, she freezes whatever she touches so I am unable to touch her."

    "Oh...," she murmured as she returned her attention forward.  I took humor in the disappointment before she volunteered, "Well, I'll handle her then."

    Speaking what came to mind, I questioned her, "Are you sure?  You do not seem to be in any fighting condition."

    Shrugging off my concern, she reasoned, "I just didn't have time to change is all.  I'm fine, really."

    Although the excuse was of questionable standing, I could offer nothing to debate over.  She was better suited to engaging with Cirno than I was.  We agreed on a plan and set forth with our assignments.

    Leading the assault, I drove apart the faerie formation and gave Sol an opening to rush Cirno.  As Sol moved Cirno from the front, I took command of the maids.  Directing the flanks to keep direction and movement around the gate front, we managed to push the faeries into a stalemate.

    As Aqua began to reform their formations, I directed the maids to cycle their ranks.  Even though we were outnumbering them, the faeries from the lake showed more militant development and ferocity with battle; it was unsettling.

    The maids cycled in sets assigned by their rooms.  With their numbers and overall placement set, I called them to move into combat formations and to retreat so a reserve company could relieve the efforts.  In this way, the maids were able to keep a consistent battlefront while the enemies began to tire from exhaustion.  Even then, it was only a matter of time before the maids tired as well.  It was my hope that Patchouli would arrive before then.

    With Aqua's command, the faeries made another powerful charge.  The maids were being swept aside and I tried frantically to reestablish a chain of command.  My words fell to deaf ears as the maids scrambled towards the garden.

    "They are only faeries after all, or are they really faeries at all?"  I confusedly murmured.

    The maids had abandoned rank and I was left alone, once more.  As the cheering faeries gathered for another charge, Aqua was attacked and the faeries were left in confusion.

    "Need a hand?"  All eyes turned at the remark and found Sol.

    "What did you do to Cirno?!" one of the lesser faeries demanded.

    Sol mockingly replied, "I dealt with her, what else?"

    There was another frenzy among the faeries and several of them went to look for Cirno.  With the few that remain, Aqua renewed their assault against Sol and myself.  The fighting was not as difficult as I thought it would be.

    It may have been that I was a little more confident in relying on Sol than the maids.  She had been showing much development as of recently, and in this battle, the results were becoming very apparent to me.  Ultimately, she was the one that held off the faerie assault while I provided minor support.  As I was beginning to wonder when Patchouli would arrive, she appeared.

    Coughing slightly, she appraised the situation, "It looks like I wasn't needed at all."

    "No, no..." I tried to reason with her judgment, "We are barely managing."

    "Professor!" Sol cried, barely able to speak in the chaos, "... please... hurry!"

    "If I must," Patchouli relented, "Keep them preoccupied."

    "Understood!"

    Patchouli began incanting as Sol and I defended her.  With her sudden appearance, the faeries were in another panic as to what to do.  Many were hesitant to attack and wanted to flee, while others cried out for Cirno to help them.  With the lapse in discipline, the few aggressive faeries were easily warded back and Patchouli soon completed her incantation.

    "Water Sign: Bury In Lake!"

    In a flash, the lake's water reached upwards and swept at the terrified faeries.  Into the panic, several ice beams were propelled and confusion surmounted.  As another wave of water grasped at the panic driven faeries, the maids began to cheer loudly their praises for Patchouli.

    The invasion force had fled into the night.  With the battle won, exhaustion set over me once more.

    Sighing loudly, I turned to Patchouli and worded my gratitude, "Thank you, Madame Patchouli."

    "The Professor is the best!" Sol cheered through her exhaustion, "Even the mist didn't stand a chance."

    At Sol's remark, Patchouli and I took closer notice of the mist.  It had receded and was not returning.  Turning to one another, our looks did little to alleviate doubts.

    Maintaining an indifferent tone, Patchouli ordered, "I'll leave things here to you both."

    "Where are you going, Professor?" Sol asked as she chased after Patchouli.

    Without so much as a sigh, Patchouli explained, "I have matters to attend to.  Stay here and assist as needed."

    Shriveling at the command, Sol relented, "Alright then."

    As Patchouli turned back to me, I nodded to her, and she then headed towards the manor.

    The maids were confused with what they were to be doing as well.  Having abandoned their duties, it was only natural for them to be worried.

    Approaching them, I offered to the reluctant maids, "Will you help me watch the gates a little longer?"

    With a brightened cheer, they accepted and started to relax around the gardens.

    As I returned to the gate, I was greeted by Sol's commentary, "You're rather reckless, Meli."

    Taking offense in the words rather then her concerns, I declared, "I am neither of those!"

    Waving her hands playfully, she commanded, "Just hold still so I can heal those wounds."

    "Am I wounded?" I asked as I reexamined my body.

    Even though the swelling had not receded, I did not think they would need specific attention.  As I turned my eyes towards my feet, I noticed that my shoes were covered in blood.  I guess the chilblain on my foot ruptured and was the source of all the blood.

    Resigning to a seated position, I turned towards Sol and asked, "Since when can you heal wounds?"

    With a casual smile, she answered, "I've got to learn it eventually."

    I can only wonder at how shocked my face was after hearing her logic.  I plainly asked, "Does that make me your test subject?"

    With a pouting glare, she remarked, "Is there a problem with that?"

    "Good luck, I guess," my answer carried an uneasy tone.

    Smiling radiantly, Sol asserted, "I'll take real good care of you."

    Returning a smile of my own, I drifted to sleep.  The excitement was a little too much for me to keep pace with.

[Zer0Axiom]

    In Gensokyo, a rule had been passed.  In the collective interest of its residents, this rule allowed for battles to be waged with simplistic guidelines and acceptable results.  The youkai would be able to flaunt their powers while the human would be able to keep safe their lives.  But, even with this rule in place, there still had to be a human strong enough to safeguard the rest of the citizens.  To this end, the Hakurei Miko had always been respected and feared.  However, could there still be peace if the malcontents were not exterminated as before?  Would a passing defeat be enough to calm their diabolical intents?  Or, shall the future be more tranquil than ever?

    "Then begin!"

    With the formalities observed, a magical boundary enveloped the surrounding space.  From within, Reimu and Remilia felt a powerful barrier form around each other.  These barriers would act as a point of measure to the individual progress of the respective participants in the preceding duel.

    As the caster, Remilia's role would be to overpower the challenger with her power and skill.  Within the guidelines set by the participants, she would need to force the resignation of defeat from her opponent if she was to be declared victorious.

    As the challenger, Reimu's role was designed to surpass the caster's power.  She would need the depths of her ability and will to endure through the caster's chosen spell cards.  Additionally, she would be limited by how simple it would be to be defeated as the challenger.

    Around the two were barriers of different designs.  The caster's barrier was larger and more durable, which made breaking it an arduous task.  While the challenger's barrier was very compact and exceedingly fragile.  This meant that a few well placed attacks could end the match in the caster's favor.

    As the duel proceeded, Remilia opened with a wide stream of magic.  It rained out to Reimu and seemed to entrap her within an inescapable field, but it was not as it appeared.  Reimu glided through the blasts and returned fire with her trusty talismans.  With the accumulating damage to her barrier, Remilia declared her fist spell card.

    "Divine Retribution: Young Demon Lord!"

    A web of energy surged out and carried an ominous dread.  Reimu followed her instincts, and pulled across the area only to stop a short distance away away.  Immediately, an interlocking chain of lasers appeared and threatened to destroy all in its path.  With the immediate danger averted, Reimu looked on to find another wave similar to Remilia's initial attack followed after the lasers.  Although notably shorter, it was not any less dangerous since the web of lasers still persisted.

    With the enclosing cage in mind, Reimu continued with her retaliation.  There was a small window of opportunity when the lasers were not active that allowed her to attack Remilia.  Gradually, her plan succeeded and there was a bright flare that signified the spell break.  In the passing interlude, both Reimu and Remilia were smiling.  The battle continued on.

    In her second round, Remilia launched a volley of magic in a series of sweeping arcs.  The magic blasts carried with them an unusual trail of materials and Reimu, not wanting to find out what it was, kept on the defensive.  With the sweeping movement, Reimu's attack was deterred by the unknown substance.  As she pondered alternatives, Reimu turned to her homing amulets to bail her out of her bind.  Although the arcs were at wide angles, there were openings that allowed the amulets to strike through.  With an impressed gaze, Remilia activated her second card.

    "Hell Sign: Mountain of One Thousand Needles!"

    The attack consisted of a considerably large barrage of needles.  The needles were identifiable as a large and small set.  The large set was spiraled in a circular array before continuing outward.  The small set was directed outward and did not change its course.  As the attack continued, Reimu was unable to find an opening to exploit.  The needles were everywhere and they covered all of the approachable angles that her amulets could reach.

    "If you want needles, then I'll give you needles!"

    Having previously been used against the maid, Reimu employed her needles to attack through Remilia's unrelenting danmaku.  The modest shape that they possessed allowed them to pass the moving wall with relative ease and the second break was not long away.

    With the spell ended, Remilia commented to her opponent, "You're pretty impressive to have defeated two of my spell cards so soon."

    "Don't tell me that you were holding back?" Reimu playfully remarked.

    "No, not at all," Remilia responded, "I was just enjoying the moment."

    After the short interlude, Remilia carried into a quick bombardment.  In a shifting glance, there was a flood of needles that circled around the field.  The attack was swift and left little room to retaliate.

    As Reimu attacked with her talisman, the small openings in the attack cut the prevailing force without fuss.  Reaching for another set of needles, Reimu noticed a potential concern.  Her right sleeve had been damaged and with it was an entire stock of tools she had for her battles.

    Judging between whether she should conserve her resources or continue with her plans, she refuted, "I'll worry later."

    Choosing to not restrain her force, Reimu continued her attacks as Remilia prepared her spell card.  With the barrier's damage approaching to it's limit, Remilia announced her third spell card.

    "God Art: Vampire Illusion!"

    A wave of magic shot across with a trail of resin behind it.  After the resin set into place, a pulse surged from Remilia and the newly set material diffused and dispersed.  The entangling web of matter drew closer to Reimu as another wave was released.  With the pulse that followed the wave, another layer of resin began to encroach.

    Without a clue as what to do, Reimu tried to pass around the amassing wall.  Having passed through the resin wall, Reimu realized it was actually blood.  As she tried to move out of the path of another incoming wave, the blood that she passed through had attached itself to her clothes and was hindering her movements.  Having been caught off guard, Reimu instinctively shielded herself from the barrage only to find her barrier released a protective aura around her instead.  The blood and magic within the area was repelled and Reimu took the opportunity to find a more accommodating location.

[Zer0Axiom]

    Fate and destiny are words of the weak, used to justify their weakness.  Is it by this logic, that I, one who shapes fate, am powerful?  Can it be so simple as that?  Is there nothing more to measuring my dominance then to compare with weaklings?  It could never be that simple.  Even so, I shall not allow for destiny to overtake me.  No, I shall bend fate to my liking and enjoy myself as befitting a proud noble.

    "Vampire Illusion!"

    Although it was the third spell card I used, this spell would be the first to harness my powers as a vampire.  My magic sprayed across the area and condensed into blood.  This blood then flowed into the surrounding space as I released another burst of magic.  This illusion might seem harmless at first, but it was when one came into contact with the blood that the real magic took effect.

    The victims become encased in its grasp and found themselves unable to escape.  Trapped by its binding hold, my prey watches helplessly as my magic overwhelmed them.  It would be enough to render an average human unconscious.  I suppose this miko was anything but average, then.  Even though she became ensnared, she didn't lose focus and adapted to it quickly enough.

    "Spirit Sign: Fantasy Seal!"

    Was it desperation that lead her to use a bomb?  Or, perhaps she was simply being playful?  With the colorful display of dazzling beauty, I simply waited for the results to make themselves apparent.

    Shortly after her seal cleared my magic from around her, the miko quickly followed through with a bombardment of charms.  Keeping at her heightened pace, she circled around and rained more of her charms while avoiding my magic.  Even with her continuous movements, she showed no signs of fatigue; it was like watching an endless ballet of a dancing machine.

    With the third spell break, I pulled out all the stops, "Are you ready to witness the true strength of the vampires?"

    "So you were holding back?" the human chided.

    "I think of it more of adding to the mood," I playfully mused, "Either way, let's continue."

    With a confident smirk, she challenged, "Bring it, then."

    Without delay, I proceeded with my attack.  I transformed and sprinkled a gentle covering of magic towards my foe.  The light pace of the attack was surprising to the miko, but she must have been anticipating fluctuation in the pattern and remain vigilant with her guard.  As she fired back, she found her attacks ineffective.  Although I was no different from a real bat in my transformed state, her attacks were proving ineffective in harming me.

    With her focus broken, I rained a sequence of fast paced blasts in the surrounding area.  Proving herself a worthy adversary, the miko dodged the initial wave and activated another spell card to defend against the remainder.  With the momentum lost, I moved into another attack that was fast in pace but gentle in demeanor.

    After another futile attack, the miko voiced her protests, "You're cheating!"

    "'Cheating'?  Me?" having been accused, I transformed back and sought clarification, "How so?"

    "How is it a fair fight if I can't even hit you?" she demanded.

    "I thought you wanted me to use my full power?" I mused.

    With a displeased glare, she asked, "What's that suppose to mean?"

    "I transformed into my true form," I answered, which drew a confused stare in reply.  With a faint sigh, I inquired, "You weren't expecting some kind of grotesque, six winged anomaly, were you?"

    Fumbling with her thoughts, she truthfully said, "Actually, I kinda was."

    With a sarcastic disinterest, I apologized, "Well, sorry to disappoint, but this is the extent of my being."

    "Whatever," she objected, "It's still unfair."

    Arguing the objection, I posed to her, "So I'm not allowed to use the full extents of my power?  I believe that would be truly unfair."

    Scratching her head with consideration, she rationalized, "There should be limit to how you can use that kind of power and how often.  Like for spell cards."

    "Then shouldn't it have already been specified as such beforehand?" I asked.

    Gathering her thoughts, she explained her rational as "I've never fought with people who could cheat like that."

    "Well, excuse me for being a 'cheater.'" I remarked sardonically, "At any rate, I'll use my fuller power for spell cards then.  Right?"

    "That's fine," she assented, "Let's finish this, then."

    "In that case, I'll use this: Scarlet Sign," with the slight agreement to the use of invulnerability, I moved straight into my fourth spell card, "Scarlet Meister!"

    In a flash, my magic sped across and around.  It was probably because of the sudden speed of the attack, but the miko was completely overcome by my spell.

    With the barrier around her almost completely destroyed, she hurried away to a more manageable location.  It was needless as my magic covered all the different angles that she could attack me from.  Even if she moved farther away, it would make hitting me all the harder.

    "It won't be long now," I whispered to myself, convinced of my victory.

    Then, I felt a fluctuation in the barrier's hold.  I glanced around between my attacks to find the cause.  Eventually, I realized what was damaging my barrier.  During my spell, I was moving around as well.  It was at those moments that I moved into a trap that the miko had previously set.

    Her attacks seemed off-key, but now I understood what she was aiming for.  A direct assault wouldn't have succeeded so she had her charms land on the ground near me.  When I moved into the area, the charms would attach to the barrier and inflict damage.  Unfortunately, my insight came a move late and a spell break ended my run.

    With my last card at hand, I smiled at the miko, "You're even better then I could have imagined."

    "Thanks," she playfully remarked.

    Her smiling visage was misleading to the combat prowess that backed her skill; more so than that was her shining will.

    There was much that could happen by chance, and even more by fate.  With my power to unconditionally alter the fate of another being, there was a limit to what could be affected.  As I gazed onto this miko, I could sense a strange shape in her fate.  It was a shape that I was rather familiar with: a fate that my power couldn't change.

    It was only recently that I understood why it was so.  These people with unique shapes in their fates were overflowing with confidence.  This confidence would keep them outside the reach of my power.  Pride, arrogance, determination, devotion; there were many different factors and reasons, but one thing remained consistent: they were always confident.

    "No point in dragging this out.  My last spell: Scarlet Gensokyo!"

    At my command, the surrounding mist gathered to me.  Then I released the gathered magic in a spiral flare.  The blasts were steady and they filled the air with a crushing pressure.  As more magic surged forth, the pulse reverberated and the conflicting forces scattered the energy indiscriminately.  The out pour of magic was immense and I didn't keep close watch over the miko's actions.

    As I noticed her call to bomb, I shifted into my impervious state and waited out the counter assault.  With her last bomb expended, I resumed my spell.  It seemed like a waste of effort for her to continue in defying my power, but she persisted.

    Without a moment of pause, my magic continued its course.  The miko then carried out a daring plan.  She activated a set of charms that manifested a wall of energy.  This energy disrupted my concentration enough for her to maneuver closer.  As I followed her movements, she disappeared from sight.

    Reappearing overhead, she drove downward with a heel drop.  As I sidestepped the surprise attack, she followed with a strike from her stick.  Although I raised my hand to turn away her attack, the barrier interceded and I couldn't move.  Momentarily stunned, I was pushed away by the strike and the miko continued her assault.  In a stunning display, she kicked me with a back flip and I was thrown a short distance away.

    "It'll take more than that to beat me!"

    I turned towards her in response.  For a brief moment, I saw the silhouette of someone else.  Was this the similarity I noticed before?  Could it be that she was the answer I've been searching for?

    In my delirium, I started laughing, "It couldn't be as simple as that, could it?  No.  Maybe... maybe, it'll be better this way."

    Out of concern or confusion, I don't know, but the miko asked me, "What are you talking about?"

    "I'm saying," with a wide smile, I turned to her and stated, "You win."

    "That's all?" she dumbly asked.

    "And it was all worth the trouble to bring you here," I mused before returning to my feet.  Dusting my dress, I suggested, "Now, why don't we have some tea downstairs.  It'll be nice if we could chat some more."

    With growing confusion, the addled girl muttered, "Huh?"

    "This way then.  We'll head through the southern turret," I directed while heading off.

    Without a moment to think, she simply called, "What?  Wait-"

    "Now, now, don't be shy," interrupting her, I mused, "There's still time left in the night."

    Without wait or pause, I continued on toward the southern turret and the confused miko followed after.  Descending the turret's stairs, I wondered of we would speak of over tea.

[Zer0Axiom]

    The night's end drew ever closer.  In the solitary calm of the moonlit sky, the ominous mist receded.  Its callous grip released the frightened populace into a comforting embrace of solace.  The people rested peacefully as they should.  Order had been restored to Gensokyo, but was the Hakurei Miko finished with her duties?

    "Madame, your tea," with a gentle clatter, the maid Sakuya set a saucer down before her master's guest Reimu.  Turning to her side, she repeated the process for the evening's other guest Marisa, "Madame, your tea."

    "What's with the 'madame' stuff?" having received her teacup, Marisa inquired to the maid's manner of addressing her guests, "We already introduced ourselves so you should know our names."

    "Ever the loud one, Marisa?" Reimu had already begun partaking of the tea when she commented on Marisa's manners.

    "So, she's normally like this?" Remilia inquired as she examined the embarrassed witch with a curious gaze.

    "How unsurprising," Patchouli's comment was directed without dictation.

    With her question completely ignored and feeling utterly insulted, Marisa sank into her chair and glared at her cup of tea.  It exuded an intoxicating aroma that seemed to calm her frustrations.

    "The title of 'madame' can be used to refer to a lady respectfully," the maid enlightened Marisa, "As such, it's the proper manner of addressing guests."

    "So you're addressing us as 'madame' because it's your job?"

    "No," the quiet bookworm interceded with a reply, "she addresses you as 'madame' because you're undeserving of proper recognition."

    Reimu was confused with the explanation and interjected, "But, doesn't she address her boss as 'Madame'?"

    "That's because," the maid voiced her response, "I'm not deserving to address Madame by her name."

    "Isn't that a double standard?"

    "It's complicated," was the unanimous explanation.

    "But enough of that," having been left out of the conversation, Remilia diverted the attention to herself, "I haven't yet thanked you two for gracing us with your presence this evening."

    "Oh," Marisa lit up with her blinding grin, "It's a pleasure to be here."

    Reimu returned to her tea and added a "Hmm" as her acknowledgment.

    Nodding at the replies, Remilia continued her announcement, "I also wanted to thank you for the remarkable battle at the front gate."

    "That was nothing," Marisa mused, "Right, Reimu?"

    "..."

    It was only natural that Marisa didn't know what Remilia was referring to.  Reimu studied Marisa's unassuming smile.  After deeming the direction of conversation to be a potentially entertaining course, she resumed her enjoyment of tea.

    "I can only imagine how much 'nothing' it took to organize," the dreary librarian commented.

    With a smirk, the little lady agreed, "Indeed, it was enough to boggle the mind."

    A confused Marisa began to shrivel in her chair.  With a diminishing smile, she turned towards Reimu.  Reimu continued to sip an empty teacup as she ignored Marisa's plight.

    As Remila sighed softly, Patchouli mused, "It's a pity the gate couldn't be spared."

    At the mention of spared, Marisa froze up.  She recalled that she was the one that smashed the gate.  With a weak laugh, she muttered, "Yeah, a shame, really."

    From her seat, she would have to look over her left shoulder to see the front gate.  Turning to face the gate, Marisa nearly fell from her chair when she saw its state.  The gaping hole wasn't as small as she remembered it to be.  In fact, it couldn't be accurately referred to as a mere hole any longer.  The gate's doors were warped into a mangle of metal which resembled a small bird's cage.

    With her disbelief reaching across her head, Marisa felt a cold gaze pierce from behind her.  Returning her attention back to the company on the balcony, Marisa could only chuckle uncomfortably.

    "It's fortunate that the gate was the only thing left beyond salvageable repair," Remilia remarked playfully, "It would have been dreadful if there was to be some unsightly ruin where my home should stand."

    "Yeah," anxious for a change in the conversation, Marisa jumped at the comment, "How is it that your house is so remarkable?  Do you mind sharing some of your secrets?"

    "It's no secret really..." Remilia began.

    "...between Sakuya and I," Patchouli added following the momentary pause, "There isn't a single detail that's out of place."

    "...and there you have it," Remilia concluded, content with the explanation.

    Thinking between the maid and magician, Marisa grimaced, "So you made this indestructible and spacious with your magic?"

    Shaking her head, she corrected the assessment, "Only indestructible.  It's thanks to Sakuya that the mansion is so accommodating physically."

    Nodding at the remark, Remilia added, "It's her specialty: cooking, cleaning, warping time and space.  There's little that she can't do.  Right, Sakuya?"

    "It's as Madame says," the maid confirmed with a simple bow.

    "Still, it's impressive," Marisa's eyes lit with intrigue, "You wouldn't have any tips to share with a fellow magician, would you?"

    With a narrowing glare, Patchouli coldly rejected the request, "We haven't a thing to share, and I have it in mind to review my archives to see if you didn't take anything from me."

    As the pressure accumulated, Marisa tried to defuse the tension, "Don't be like that.  Aren't archives meant to be stored and shared by all?"

    "Only by the worthy," she simply replied.

    "Then how does one go about being deemed worthy?" Marisa asked, curious and determined to win her prize.

    The short exchange lead to a few passing smiles.  In the realization of the answer, Marisa's shoulders dropped.  The collective smiles that surrounded her were disheartening.

    "Would you like to know your worth, little one?" Remilia challenged as her eyes beckoned to Marisa.

    "You're smaller than I am!" Marisa objected, "And could we, maybe, discuss this, a bit more?"

    "What's to discuss, Marisa?" Reimu's words mocked at Marisa.

    "All you're doing now is stalling," even Patchouli taunted her.

    "Might I add that upsetting Madame is a suicidal discourse," Sakuya's smile was more disturbing to Marisa than her comment.

    "Don't worry," Remilia called to the intimidated guest, "It'll be over before you know it."

    Without a hope to undo her bind, Marisa gathered her determination.  With her ever confident smirk, she followed as Remilia headed for to the rooftop.

    With the absence of the conversational dynamics of Marisa and Remilia, Reimu and Patchouli relished in the peaceful atmosphere.  In the deafening silence, the remainder of the party enjoyed a refreshed cup of tea.

    "If I may be so rude," it was Sakuya that broke the serene environment, "What were you planning to do now that you've defeated Madame?"

    Turning her eyes back to the cup, Reimu answered, "Nothing so long as she keeps to being peaceful."

    "Such a complacent guardian," Patchouli's low tone added impact to her poignant remark, "It's enough to make one worry."

    "You'd rather I exterminate her?" Reimu's objection carried her indignation, "I'm only here to punish the ones who cause trouble for the rest of Gensokyo.  If she's going to be civil, then I have nothing against her."

    "I see," Sakuya was content with the explanation.

    With her eyes lowered to the teacup, Patchouli's words felt empty, "That's relieving to know."

    "I don't mean to be so unreceptive of your hospitality," as she sighed, Reimu added, "But I should be heading back home."

    "Well," Patchouli yawned slightly, "It is getting late."

    Nodding in agreement, Sakuya assured, "I'm sure Madame will understand."

    After having risen from her seat, Reimu inquired, "What about Marisa?"

    "What about her?" Patchouli mused.  Smiling at Reimu's that's-not-funny face, she added, "She'll be made to pay for her crimes, but we'll leave her to live.  Is that not acceptable?"

    As if adding to the momentum, Sakuya remarked, "If you're worried about lodging, there's plenty of room here for her."

    "You know what?  You're right: It's none of my concern," the miko resigned, "I'll be going home then."

    "Shall I show you to the door?" the maid asked; her duties would include escorting the guests through the mansion.

    "Can't I just fly from here?" Reimu asked, not wanting to enter into the building again.

    Reimu's reasoning left Sakuya confused.  After thinking through the obvious, she smiled and bowed, "In that case, may you be well."

    With Reimu's departure, Patchouli stirred at her cup.  With a long sigh, she turned towards Sakuya.

    Taking notice of Patchouli's sigh and deadened gaze, Sakuya inquired, "Is there-"

    "It's going to get real busy soon," Patchouli responded without waiting for Sakuya's question, "I can feel it coming."

    "I didn't know you had premonitions."

    "No, it's empirical," massaging her brow, Patchouli explained, "Remilia simply won't keep still with so much fun to be had."

    "I see," Sakuya commented as she returned to her smiling demeanor, "It shall be no more for us than the norm."

    "I suppose that's true," Sakuya's logic cut at Patchouli's worries.  There was no point in dwelling on the problem because it was within expectancy.  With another soft sigh, Patchouli headed into the mansion, "I'll be turning in for the night as well."

    "Sleep well, Patchouli."

[Zer0Axiom]

    "Ready to lose?"

    The Scarlet Devil was standing before a large clock tower.  Her small figure made for a surreal image in the still atmosphere.  Although I was bigger then she, she had an air about her that pierced through my spine.  Prestige, majesty, superiority; the girl was not lacking in any of those, and I was at my rope's end.  I might have spoken aloud, but I think I was talking to myself.

    "Aren't we confident?" she mused as she turned to face me, her exuberant eyes cut through me as she continued her thought, "So, human, how shall we play?"

    There weren't too many options to begin with.  On top of that, I wasn't in any reasonable fighting state.  Compared to the youkai before me, I hadn't a prayer of a chance to win in an all-out fight.  If we were to modify the rules, it wouldn't be a real fight; I preferred to fight without the insulting handicaps.

    After an extended brainstorming session, I replied, "Even though you asked me, I'm not sure what would be a good game right now."

    Glancing lightly over my state, she insisted, "Since it doesn't look like you have much fight left in you, we'll keep it simple."

    I wasn't taking to the condescending remark too well, but there was no point in arguing the obvious.  Following her lead, I asked, "How simple is simple?"

    With a slight shrug, she explained, "You shoot at me.  I shoot at you.  Last one standing wins.  Simple?"

    I almost fell over laughing.  That was the same thing I said to the faerie earlier.  Taking humor in the coincidence, I agreed, "Alright, if we're ready-"

    "Oh, just to be clear..." she interrupted.

    With her addition to clarify followed by silence, I hesitantly asked, "Was there something else?"

    "This shall be a proper duel," she poignantly replied.

    "Was there an improper kind?" I pressed from utter confusion.

    With an unamused pout, she further clarified, "It means no dodging."

    "How's that a proper duel?!" I demanded, my confusion growing.

    Showing a smirk, she explained, "This way, we can properly measure the power difference between us."

    "These youkai sure had a strange way of doing things," my thoughts complained.  Disregarding the unnecessary, I asked, "Then who goes first?"

    "Naturally, it would be the guest: you," she arrogantly pointed out.

    "Sounds good," I acknowledged.  She gave me the first move, and if I was going to do this, I'll only get this one shot.  With a deep breath, I asked, "Ready?"

    With a look of intrigue rather than concern, she asked, "You're not worried?"

    With a smirk of my own, I remarked, "What's to worry about?  I wouldn't die even if you killed me.  Even if I did, worrying over it won't help any.  Now, we gonna do this, or what?"

    "Very well," she assented bemusedly,"You may begin."

    "Love Sign!"

    I drew out my best card; there was no holding back on this.  She was expecting my best so my best she would get.  With mini-hakerro in hand, I gathered all of my strength.  Pouring all of my magic together, I unleashed my might.

    "Master Spark!"

    After a momentary pause, mini-hakerro creaked open.  A gentle light shone out and directed itself towards my target.  Then, in a rush, the Spark raced headlong and nearly threw me off my feet.

    The tremendous cry and daunting light flooded the rooftop and left my arms screaming in agony.  I was struggling to keep my hands level and the magic flowing.  As I felt my grip begin to slip, the Spark subsided.  After my eyes regained focus, I saw a terrifying sight: the devil was still standing.

    From the dissipating glare, she remarked, "That was a nice shot."

    Upon closer examination, I saw that her wings were gone.  She was also missing half of her left leg and short one right arm.  In a shrill cry, she became enveloped in a red flame.  After the glow faded, she had returned to normal as though nothing happened.

    Looking on with her cherubic gaze, she inquired, "If I may ask; why 'love'?"

    Scratching my head, I replied, "Omnia vincit amor.  It's a saying I like."

    "'Love conquers all'," she mused.

    With a surprised chuckle, I murmured, "I shouldn't be surprised that you'd know that."

    "It's not a bad saying," she remarked before resuming, "But why 'love'?"

    With a bit of consideration, I answered, "A human is nothing without feelings, and what greater feeling is there than love?"

    Glancing with a distanced gaze, she retorted, "Errare humanum est."

    Her answer was not inaccurate, I suppose.  It basically means that making mistakes is in human nature.  With a smirk, I spoke my mind, "And that makes you perfect?"

    "Far from it," she admitted, "But you, who clings to the illusion of love, do you know the lie that it is?"

    Solidifying my emotion, I responded, "From what I've seen, it's with complete confidence that I reply, 'I do'."

    "Even though you know of its fallacy, you still abide by it.  Why?" she questioned openly.

    "It's a matter that you wouldn't understand," I stated as an excuse to avoid the subject only to find her face suddenly jilted at my words.  As a sadistic grin stretched across my face, it became obvious to me as I mocked, "A sheltered princess with unassuming eyes could never understand the lie that is love."

    "Silence!" she beckoned as I felt her anger reach out to me; the animosity strangled at my being.

    I really don't learn; even though she survived my best shot, I still provoked her, "What's wrong?  Too much for you to bear?"

    Radiating with immense strength, she announced, "How about I show you what love this sheltered princess has seen?"

    It was difficult to even stand at that point.  With my eyes losing focus, I smiled.  There was no going back.  Her rage flowed from her form and shrouded the rooftop in a reddened hue.  Against such overwhelming might, there would be no purpose to me if I couldn't persevere over this.

    Clenching my fists, I exclaimed, "Let's go!"

    "Requisite Aggression!"

    With a dim hue, the energy amassed around her left hand.  Humming faintly, it took shape of a large red arrow.  Taking hold of it, she raised her arm and took aim.

    "Heart Break!"

    Without a moment to blink, she threw her energy mass at me.  As I gritted my teeth, I felt the cold blast cut into my chest.  The oppressive force threw me back and left me breathless.

    As my consciousness left me, I wondered, "Is this really the end?"

[Zer0Axiom]

    The fates that flow from the the living find many shapes and forms.  They can be molded into uniform designs or crafted into unique innovations.  As one who can see the forms of fate, I can alter them to any shape I intend.  Whether that would be to shorten, lengthen, reconstruct, or even fabricate; it was all within my reach.  All except for the strong willed.  Those who absolutely defied my will avoided my grasp.  In the conclusion of this long night, I found one such being, and only the one.

    "Vae victis," I announced as I glared down at the upstart.

    With an unsatisfied stance, I looked closer to her small figure.  The fleeting fate that I smothered was beginning to blossom again.  It was unexpected, and I was left stunned.

    "No, I must still be feeling dazed from the exchange."

    "There was only one way to confirm it."

    "Sakuya!"

    "Did you call for me, Madame?" Sakuya replied as she appeared from the northern turret where she had been waiting for me.

    "Does the human still live?" I demanded.

    She moved to her side and checked her vitals.  Looking over to where I stood, she informed me, "She does, Madame."

    Peeved and intrigued, I changed the subject, "Where is Patchouli?"

    "She retired to her chambers for the night," she answered without delay.

    With little else in mind, I beckoned, "Call Patchouli for me."

    "As you wish, Madame," Sakuya acknowledged with a curtsy and departed to complete her task.

    Now alone, I stood in awe of the persistent human.  Even though I resolved to end her life, she managed to sway her fate.  It was no small feat to change the course of the future, but she managed to do it.  Not only did she change her fate, but she altered mine with it.  That was something that I couldn't do, no matter how hard I tried.

    "Perhaps, I can put this to use?" I pondered in the time before Sakuya arrived with Patchouli.

    "Did you need something?" Patchouli inquired drably.  Her groggy expression was normal and made it difficult to read her mood.

    "I thought you should see this," I cheerfully replied.

    "The witch?" confirming my interest, she continued with her questions plainly, "What about her?"

    With a playful smile, I remarked, "Even though I killed her, she still lives.  Why is that?"

    "Is that a riddle?" Patchouli posed rhetorically, and it became clear to me that she was not feeling well.  Even though she was struggling to keep on her feet, she humored my curiosity, "Fine.  She still lives because you let her."

    "Not so.  Remember, I killed her," I reminded and, though it seemed so insignificant, Patchouli made her how-could I-be-wrong face in response.  As the smile widened on my visage, I pointed to the human and suggested, "Maybe you should take a closer look."

    After considering my hint, Patchouli moved to the little witch's side.  With a stifled grunt, Patchouli found the answer, "This is..."

    "Isn't it remarkable?" I inquired, overtaken by the moment.

    It was a book in her front pocket space.  The book was what absorbed the impact and allowed the little human to survive.  If that was all it was, it wouldn't have been worth calling for Patchouli.

    What was so particular was that the book came straight from Patchouli's collection.  This meant that it was fully enchanted to resist damage of any caliber.  I continued to laugh and smile as I started to spin around.

    "May I kill her?" Patchouli requested; it seemed as though Patchouli didn't share my enthusiasm.

    Disrupted from my activity, I declined, "Actually, I had other plans."

    "May I kill her afterward?" she persisted.

    After a moment of consideration, I muttered, "We'll see."

    It was possible that things wouldn't turn out as I envisioned.  If that was the case, what would I do?  As I began to drift into my thoughts, the Clock Tower's bell began to toll.  The night grew shorter, and it was apparent that everyone was exhausted from the festivities.

    Clearing my head, I dismissed the short council, "We'll discuss the details later.  For now, get some rest."

    "Where is there a bed for our resting guest?" Patchouli questioned; her concern were rather peculiar, but it was a real concern.

    With no clear answer at hand, Sakuya informed us of the vacancies, "As of now, Meiling and Sol are both resting in their room."

    "That leaves... our rooms?" I pondered as the guest chambers have never really been a concern for me before.

    With a sigh, Patchouli offered, "Since my room has an extra bed, I guess it'll be fine to take her there."

    Between the three of us, Sakuya and I occupy the two chambers on the top floor.  Originally, Sakuya's room was Patchouli's, but since she preferred to be within proximity to her books, she changed rooms to be next to the library.  In that room, was a two bed set since it was intended for servants to share like with Meiling and Sol.

    "That should be all then, right?" I mused.

    "Aside from putting my book back, I believe so," Patchouli assented.

    Content with the state of affairs, I remarked, "In that case, sleep well."

    "Because we have a long week ahead of us, right?" she murmured which provoked a smile from me.

    "Only a week?" I playfully inquired, and with a light chuckle, we all retired to our rooms as the near and distant future began to shift once more.

[Zer0Axiom]

    With the disaster resolved, I had no business left to stay.  Even though Marisa was still at the mansion, I figured that she would be able to look after herself.  If anything, she wouldn't need my help.  Although there were still some things that went unaddressed, I was exhausted from the long night.

    Taking flight and heading for the gate, I encountered the maids from within the building.  They were leery of my presence, but I paid it no heed.  Continuing on, I arrived at the destroyed gate to find a new person standing watch.  As I approached, she turned around and gave me a stern glare.  Was I really that suspicious of a person?

    Making my way passed, she stepped forward and barred the exit.  I really wasn't in the mood for this.  Stepping back, I courtly asked, "Can I help you with something?"

    "You're one of the intruders; what would I need of you?!" she declared.

    With suppressed exasperation, I suggested, "Then would you be so kind as to step aside and let me go home?"

    "This isn't some tourist attraction where you may come and go as you please," she countered.

    Exaggerating playfully, I remarked, "Then you're gonna keep me here?  Although this place is nice, it's just not to my liking."

    "Who's keeping you here!?" she exclaimed, "I'm going to- !"

    Before she could finish her declaration, a familiar sound roared from behind me.  I didn't need to turn to know what it was.  The surrounding grass and metal reflected the intense light.  In the eyes of this new youkai, the terror was undeniable.  The sound came from Marisa's Master Spark; there was no other possibility.

    With the youkai frozen as she was, I took the opportunity to move behind her.  Since I didn't want to engage in a fight with her, I struck at her neck and knocked her unconscious.  As the blinding flare receded, I noticed the tall maid from before.

    "Sakuya-san, was it?" reaffirming her name, I continued my questionnaire, "Did you need something?"

    "After thinking it over, I realized it would be entirely possible that you wouldn't be able to pass the gate without me," she informed as she glanced past me, "But seeing your handy work just now, I understand my concern was over nothing."

    With a shrug, I remarked, "Either way, thanks for the coming.  I wouldn't feel right leaving them here like this."

    At the gate were two red haired youkai: the first called Meiling and the one I just knocked out.  Both of them were unconscious and I didn't want some unfortunate circumstance to befall them as a result.

    As Sakuya looked over the state of the two youkai, she smiled and assented, "I shall tend to them immediately.  Once again, may you be well."

    With a stifled "yeah," I continued on my way home.  It was getting very late, and I was growing more tired.  A short distance from the island, I took notice of the faeries from earlier.  I didn't think they'd go so far from the lake, but it didn't matter to me one bit.  My objective was the soft and comfy futon waiting for me at home.  Moving around the faeries, I continued onward.

    After moving along, I felt a presence behind me.  Turning to confront the stalker, I scanned the surrounding forest and found nothing.  Perhaps it was by the moon's bright glow that I saw a sliver of movement nearby and attack in that direction.  From the tree's cover, the faeries appeared.

    I merely sighed, "It's a really long night..."

    With the faeries gathering in front of me, I waited to see what they'd have to say.  It would be nice if there wasn't a fight, but for obvious reasons, that was entirely unlikely.

    Looking over them, I called out, "Is there something you need of me?"

    After some deliberating, one of the faeries moved forward.  She seemed hesitant and was cowering as she asked, "Um, are you... that is, were you the one that went into that weird house on the lake?"

    "Possibly," I stated, "What of it?"

    "Did you happen to see any of the others while you were there?"

    "Others?"

    As I thought of what 'others' the little faerie could have been speaking about, I remembered that there was suppose to be a lot more of them.  The gathering that fought with Marisa should have been at least three times bigger then what was in front of me.  Even though they seemed so panicked, there was nothing I could offer to help with their mood.

    "I don't remember seeing the others at the mansion."

    With a tearful voice, the faerie apologized for interrupting me and the flock moved around to another area; presumably to find their friends.

    "That was weird," I muttered.

    Feeling the exhaustion from the cold night, I continued my return home.

    "With so many weird things happening at once, will there be yet another youkai that stops me in my tracks?"

    Just then, a youkai indeed stopped me in my tracks by calling, "It's you!"

    Pointing at me was a small blond youkai dressed in black.  With a bruise on her cheek and some burn marks across her nose, it was the same youkai that I encountered earlier that evening: Rumia.

    With a stiff smile, I asked her, "Was there something I could help you with?"

    "I want a rematch!" she demanded, "You didn't play fair!"

    "A rematch?" I murmured before declining, "Could we do that some other time?  It wouldn't be fair to do it right now."

    Obviously displeased, she complained, "Some other time?  When would that be?  Why not do it now?"

    Answering her questions in order, I remarked, "I don't know.  Just not now.  Because the sun's gonna rise."

    She had a look of growing discontent as she pondered over when some other time might be.  Since it didn't look like she would come to a reasonable time, I left her in thought.  I was not in the mood to schedule a battle with some strange youkai.

    Having passed through the dead of night, I finally arrive at the shrine.  With fleeting glee, I made my way across the veranda as the sun began to light up the sky.  It would be difficult to sleep in the groggy summer day, but I will have my sleep.  Skipping the formalities of early morning, I went straight to my futon and drifted into peaceful slumber.

[Zer0Axiom]

    "There's nothing rare here!"

    I was getting frustrated from my search.  Having gone a long distance from the lake, I arrived at the river's northern bank.  I had heard that there were "rare frogs" in this area at night, but all I've seen were the regular sleeping kinds.  There hasn't been a single rare frog here at all.

    "Maybe I was tricked..."

    As my anger was building, I felt a strange chill from nearby.  It wasn't anything special or new, but unexpected.  After looking around a bit more, it seemed to be coming from a small cave.

    "Why is it cold in that cave?"

    Normally, the nights were cool, but for it to be cold like this, it usually was because someone like me made it cold.

    "So that's why I didn't see it..."

    After I got to thinking that the rare frog was sleeping in the cold cave, I went to investigate.

    "This place is really strange."

    The cave got smaller the farther I went in.  After a while, I noticed that ice was covering the walls and hanging from the cave top.

    After arriving at a crawlspace, I made my way along in hopes of finding something interesting.  It was colder then the winter air in here, and I really liked that.  With my triumphant smile, I found a spacious area at the end of the tunnel.

    What I found was an ice chamber.  All around was cold mist like in a winter snowstorm.  From the ceiling hung large icicles that reached to the ground.  All around me was a comforting chill that was so relaxing.  This place was an amazing discovery.

    Just then, a voice called out to me, "Is it winter already?"

    "No, it's still summer," I answered.

    "Oh my!" with a gasp of shock, she asked, "Who are you?"

    "Does this mean that she wasn't talking to me before?" I wondered before answering, "I'm Cirno."

    "Cirno?" repeating my name, she continued to ask, "Are you the one who's making it so cold?"

    "It was already cold in here," I pointed out.

    Laughing for a bit, that person smiled at me as she explained, "Yes, it normally is cold, but it suddenly became colder.  So much so that I thought winter had arrived.  So I was wondering if it was because of you."

    It was natural for things to be colder with me around.  It's always like that everywhere I go.

    Looking away for a bit, I replied, "Yeah, I guess it was me."

    "That's amazing!" she exclaimed which startled me, "You must be very exceptional to be able to do that."

    She was smiling so calmly that I didn't know if she was joking or not. Not sure what to think, I asked, "So... are you a 'rare frog'?"

    With another fit of laughter, she complained, "Oh dear, how rude.  Although I'm not sure if I'm rare or not, I know I'm no frog; of that I can assure you."

    "I guess she wouldn't be a frog; she didn't act like one at least."

    After stretching for a bit, she continued, "My name is Letty Whiterock.  I spend my year here asleep as I await winter's arrival."

    "You sleep all year long?  You don't do anything but sleep on this...?" I asked as I examined her bed then paused.  I noticed that it was a large block of white ice, and thought to myself, "That isn't where her name came from, is it?"

    "That I do." Letty answered to the questions I asked, "For spring, summer, and autumn, I spend my time sleeping."

    Annoyed at the schedule, I complained, "Isn't that boring?  I couldn't possibly sleep for that long without doing something fun."

    She just laughed again.  With her smiling face, she explained, "I spend the entirety of only winter having fun because winter is cold.  It's just not the same otherwise."

    "I like the cold winters too, but there are still fun things to do other times," I argued.

    "It's not that I disagree, but I just prefer sleeping until winter."

    Trying to win over the argument, I asked, "What about your friends?  Won't they miss you while your sleeping?"

    With a weakening smile, she replied, "As a youkai of the lonely winter, I don't have any friends."

    "What if I become your friend?" I mumbled, feeling saddened at being alone.  Surging with the best counter I could, I declared, "That's right, I'll be your friend so you don't have to sleep alone like this.  You should come outside and play with me!"

    As she chuckled, she shook her head and declined, "That's very generous of you, but I don't like being in the heat.  Even though I'm sure you can keep things cold enough, I'd much rather sleep."

    I felt so sad.  I couldn't think of anything to say to her, but I didn't want to leave her alone.

    As I looked down with disappointment, she asked, "How about you come and play with me after winter comes?  It sounds like it could be fun to play with others for a change."

    With overflowing eagerness, I asked, "But what about for now?"

    "'For now'?  Didn't I say I was going to sleep?" she asked in reply which made me feel sad again.  Not losing her smile for a moment, she scolded, "Now don't mope on me.  I sleep so I can play extra hard during winter."

    Thinking on what she said, I smiled and declared, "Then I'll be back!  During winter, I'll come back so we can play together.  We'll have so much fun, you'll have to sleep all year long!"

    With a confident nod, she commented, "That sounds exciting.  I'll be looking forward to our time together."

    It wasn't very fun being alone all the time, but at least we could be together for winter.  That way, she won't be alone all year long.

    We said our goodbyes and I left Letty to go back to sleep.  Winter wouldn't be that far away, but it would be a while yet.  Without much else on my mind, I went back to the lake.