So here we are again... It's always such a pleasure (*cough*reference*cough*)

This time, we go back in time... again. Who will Chôzen meet? What memory does return to him this time?

In a few paragraphs, you will see...

To understand this chapter, you have to read I-Negative Bullet up to Chapter 45: The truth, just like with the chapters before.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Touhou, Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN does. However, Chôzen Gekido is mine.

Chapter 04 - Creation & Negation ~ The beginning meets the end

About 1800 years ago, America - New York City

"Next stop: 5th Avenue, 53rd Street." The train began to slow down as it neared the subway station,and I rose my gaze from the ground. Rising from my seat, my eyes scanned the surroundings. A brightly lit train filled to the brim with humans in casual clothing, though most humans wore buisness suits and were talking to someone over their cellphone.

Finally, as the train came to a stop, I pushed some of them out of the way and left the train. Slipping my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I stood still and watched the train leave... then, I turned my void eyes back to wherever I was.

I don't know what made me enter, or leave the train... I have no goal... every place I come to is exactly the same, crowded, noisy, boring. So I couldn't care less where I was... I didn't even care how I ended up in America, to be honest... the past centuries, which had passed me in a blur, had brought me to many places... or maybe it have already been thousands of years? I don't care about time...

I waited for a second longer, then closed my eyes, slipped the my hands deeper into my pockets, and re-opened my eyes, which immeadiately fixed on a staircase leading upwards... where they lead, I don't care. Up and down is the same, as there is no middle. The earth as it is hovers in a giant void... there is no up and down too, so why should here be up and down? Gravity is merely a word, after all...

Suddenly, something impacted with the back of my head. "Oh? Oh, excuse me, I'm terribly sorry!" Hearing a female speak up, I turned around and found a woman that human would probably call 'as beautiful as an angel'... but neither is there such a thing as beauty, nor have they ever truly seen angel.

They associate angel with holiness... not knowing that angels are only youkai as well. Also, the word angel always reminded me of those stone statues, back in the tomb of negativity, which I had seen as 'creepy' before I turned indifferent. (1)

The woman in front of me was different from the humans around me though. She had long, blonde hair with red ribbons tied at the lower end, and wore a deep purple dress, long white gloves and a pink mob cap. Leaned onto her shoulder, she had a pink lace parasol, probably the thing she hit me with, and she was currently hiding her lower face behind a paper fan. But the most striking feature she had were her purple eyes, with which she stared at me right now.

"I am incredibly sorry, I accidentaly hit you with my parasol when I turned around.", she spoke in perfect english, and bowed down... allowing me shortly to glimpse behind her paper fan, with which she hid a demonic smirk.

"I hope I can make it up to you. How about we search us a good café somewhere around and have a nice coffee together? How does that sound?", she asked as she stopped bowing... this time, speaking in perfect japanese. So she was from Japan... but spoke english like it was her native tongue... "How does that sound?", she repeated, exposing her face fully, showing a warm smile while she closed her eyes, letting it look even more warm... for someone else than me, possibly.

Well, I continued to look at her for a few more seconds... and then simply turned around, returning to walk towards the staircase I was going to ascend before. Other beings do not mean a thing to me. I do not search friends, I have none. A friend is a person like every else, nothing makes it special.

Finally, my feet set onto the staircase, and I began ascending it with the humans around me, which didn't even believe me to be different than them. The era of youkai has ended long ago. Humans no longer believe in magic and youkai... it was no era for youkai indeed.

Though I look little different from them, they don't ask. In my earliest years, having bilious-green glowing eyes and black hair with a green shine to it would've immeadiately identified me as a youkai... Nowadays, they only dismiss that as having dyed hair and some freaky contact lenses... however, I still have to hide the green flame, the split part of my soul... humans do not like it when they see something they can not explain with science...

Suddenly, I felt something thin and pointy at my back. "Okay mate, if ya life means something to ya, you better hand over all of your money and other possessions...", whispered a husky voice into my right ear. Then, I felt something cold at the left side of my neck. "Yeah, ya better listen to the boss...", whispered a second voice to my left.

"I do not have any possessions, neither do I have money. It is not worth anything, even if you humans tend to believe that. I don't care about money.", I spoke, my empty gaze on the far wall of the room, the stairs I had just ascended behind me.

"Don't lie to us, stranger! We were in the same train as ya were... and to get in there, ya have to buy a ticket...", hissed the 'boss', to which I turned my gaze to him. "I don't buy tickets. I don't buy anything, as possessing and not possessing something is trivial. I do not care about possessions.", I replied, careful to neither let the split part of my soul escape my mouth, nor make it visible to them.

"Don't lie to him!", growled the second man to my left, the one holding the gun to my throat, while I still felt the boss holding the knife against my back. "I go where I go, I don't let you humans hinder me in anything, I don't care about species or any worth... as nothing has worth. I walk, no direction in mind, go from place to place, and yet all is the same.", I replied to them, which clearly pissed them off.

"If ya think ya can play some game with us, stranger, then...", began the boss, but I interupted him. "...I see where this is going." He rose an eyebrow as I opened my mouth finally completely, letting the split part of my soul escape it. Immeadiately, both the boss and his henchman took a step away from me, and several humans turned to me.

"Humans... Humanity is simply a word, an excuse for faults...", I spoke as humans took steps away from me. "Not that any other species is better. Youkai, demons, humans and anything else... they are all the same. Beings giving into the seven great sins, the seven deadly sins.", I spoke...

...and before either of them could react, I was aside that henchman and rose my hand to the height of his face. And flicked against his forehead. But that alone was enought to throw him through the complete room into a wall, which broke into pieces as he impacted with it.

With a second, much quicker step, I was aside that boss before he even could realise what just happened, and kicked him. He had not as much luck as his henchman, as the moment that my leg impacted with his abdomen, his spine snapped and his body collapsed... in two pieces.

As panic broke out, the humans bolting in fear, I simply stared down at the boss, formerly so high and mighty, and now only a broken doll on the ground. Then, I stepped over his remains, just as the last light vanished from his eyes. Life and death is meaningless, it is the same, simply two words.

Suddenly, something hit me over the head, and as I turned around, I found a familiar face behind me. "Oh, I am utterly sorry, I must have hit you with my... oh, it's you again.", smiled the blonde woman as she recognized me.

"Where were you all of sudden? I was just about to invite you to a coffee to make it up to you... seems like I owe you two now!", laughed the woman, closed her eyes as she held her stomach in laughter... and I just turned away and left her behind once again.

Standing on the corner to the next street, I watched as the police finally arrived and stormed down into the subway station, which I had long left. Waiting for another second, I watched as several more armed men ran down into the station, many of them speaking over the radio. They wouldn't find me...

Finally, I turned away, the flame long in my mouth again, and began to walk through the streets, no goal in mind. I didn't even have to walk, staying in one place or going around made no difference, walking to a place that is the same as the one you are is pointless, after all. But something made me walk, what exactly I do not know... it was just something I had not had in many, many centuries... a feeling.

Maybe I had gotten tired of the path of nihilism and follow the only feeling that is left within me, but I don't care if it is like that. The path of nihilism was said to be irreversible, and just because of one flaw that had not been mentioned, I do not give up on that path... even if I had already finished it, it is still continuing, it continues until the end of time for me...

"Ah, how in gods name could I lose them? What if Ayeka does something to him! I cannot let that stuck-up princess get him!" Hearing an angry woman growl and several humans scream in panic, I looked up and found a woman hovering shortly over the ground, red energy gathering in her right, clenched fist. "I've just been searching for some sake, turn my back to them and they're gone!"

She had long, practically gravity-defying, cyan hair that was spiked towards the back, and was about 1,75m in height. As she looked around, her golden, feline eyes glared at practically everything, making people jolt or run. In her mouth, she had sharp, little canines that gave her a demonic appearance with her current snarl.

She wore a black dress that went down to her ankles, with a single line at the front and a pair of black boots. Also, she had two red earrings, one on each side, which were apparently some dark-red gems...

"You over there! You with those freaky eyes!", she exclaimed and hovered towards me. "Have you seen a little girl with cyan hair in two pigtails, a stuck-up princess, two wooden logs, something in between a cat and a rabbit, an old man and his useless son Nobuyuki, a blonde clumsy woman and a teal-haired officer around? Or a handsome, tanned guy with dark hair, with mesmorizing dark eyes?", she asked.

"I have not.", I replied simply, to which she went into another fit of anger. "When I get that princess, I'm gonna...!", she screamed out, but was interrupted when someone else called. "Ryoko! What the hell are you doing? We are over here!" The glare faded from the womans face and she twirled around. "TENCHI!", she screamed, before she rushed towards a group not all too far from me.

"I missed you, Tenchi!", whined the feline woman. "Ryoko, we were just down the street... We lost you barely three minutes ago!", replied the guy, looking rather uneasy. "I was worried to death about you! Don't run off like that again...!", continued that woman, which was apparently called Ryoko, as she placed her arms around the guys neck, and then turned her gaze to a darkblue haired woman.

"Especially not with her!", she growled. "What? I have you informed that I did not do anything, you old mummy!", snarled the other woman back at her. "I am not a mummy! I am barely 2000 years old!", growled Ryoko. "It's 5000 years, you lying scum!" "2000, stuck-up!", was the last I heard of Ryoko, as I simply turned away from them, and continued my path, walking around a corner.

Was she a youkai too?

"And this is the St. Patricks Cathedral! Awesome, isn't it?" Hearing someone, I lifted my gaze once more, and spotted a small group of tourists from all kind of countries following a tour guide not all to far from me.

Just then, something hit me over the head for the only-god-knows-how-much time this day. Would I've been a normal being, I would possibly be annoyed or something, but me being me, I simply turned around and looked indifferently at the blonde woman.

"Oh, I am utterly sorry, I must have hit you accidentaly with my par... hey hey! I found you again!" "What do you want? Are you stalking me?", I asked, causing her to flinch... apparently at my tone of voice, or rather, the lack of exactly that.

"I am not stalking anyone... I guess it is simply fate that we run into each other so often!", she chuckled. "Fate? There is no such thing as fate.", I spoke, and turned away. "Oh my. So you are one of those that write their own story, huh?", she asked, chuckling, to which I simply looked over my shoulder.

"I have no story. Without fate, present and future, one cannot write down anything. Furthermore, everything written down regarding me is immeadiately wiped out of existence."

Without any other word, I began to walk once more, leaving the blonde woman behind, which was stunned in shock, completely silent and unmoving. With her left behind, I walked down the street until I reached the end of it, and turned around a corner... when something impacted with my head, this time, my face.

"Oh, I am utterly sorry, you must be so stupid that you ran into my parasol.", I heard a voice chuckle, and as I stood up, I found the woman in front of me... despite the fact that she had until now just been BEHIND me, at the other end of the street I just left behind. "Well, if you don't feel like talking about literature or the theory of relativity, then let us at least sit down and drink a coffee together... what do you say? That sounds fine?", she asked... making even ME of all people groan. "Fine."

Only half an hour later, we sat outside a café, having just received what we ordered, namely a coffee and a piece of cake for the woman, and a simple black coffee for me. I didn't even bother to put anything into it. I don't care for such things as taste, as taste is relative.

"So...", began the blonde woman, as she slowly drifted a spoon through the black depths of her coffee. "May I ask for your name first?", she asked. "Gekido Chôzen.", I replied. (2) "Oh? Japanese? Are you from Japan?", she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes and no. It is the name I have given myself.", I replied. And suddenly, the woman broke into laughter.

"No need to hide what you are... I know very well that you are a youkai." "I see...", I replied, and closed my eyes. "I named myself after my 'birth'. The first thing I remember is awaking in the middle of Japan, thus I have chosen a japanese name that represents that which has created me... the ignorance and wrath of humanity.", I explained.

"I see...", chuckled the blonde female, as she withdrew her spoon from her coffee, and put it into her mouth. "I am Yukari Yakumo... We are in the western world, so let's behave that way.", she snickered. (2)

"Yukari Yakumo...", I repeated, watching her as she took a sip of her coffee, her eyes closed. "Can you guess why I knew that you are a youkai?", she asked in an amused way after she put down her coffee and opened her eyes just a little. "You are one yourself...", I muttered, and Yukari nodded. "I am."

"So, Chôzen Gekido... you surely must ask yourself why I was so... persuasive.", she chuckled. "Persuasive? Rather stalking.", I replied, then took a sip of my own coffee. "Stalking is such a rude word...", sighed the other youkai, as she turned her attention to her cake. "But the only right one.", I replied and put my cup back onto the table.

"Anyways, I've been following you quite a time now... I am amazed at your powers and very interested in you... only your personality might take a little while for me getting used to it.", she chuckled, then closed her eyes, "...I have this dream... a dream of a land of peace, a paradise if you want so, a place where youkai and human, but of course every other species as well, can co-exist... you would be a very interesting addition to it... sadly, I have not managed to make this dream reality, but with your help...", she whispered, and leaned closer.

"I have no interest in being part of your ant farm.", I replied. "Oh, you misunderstand... I have interest in you... great interest...", she breathed, and leaned even closer, "...you could even say I am very attracted to you... Of course, if you'd join me, I would...reward you..." As I suddenly grabbed her right wrist, she gasped and looked shocked at me, apparently having not even seen me move.

"Listen up, Yakumo... I do not care about anything, but I am not careless. I see the world as it is, lying, filthy, and betraying... and yet everything is the same. I do not need a second one like that.", I hissed, then let go of her arm, stood up, and walked away, leaving her back at the café.

But I should soon learn that Yukari Yakumo does not give up, and goes beyond every boundary to do so... quite literally, as I soon ran into her again on my way through Germany. It should be only a brief encounter, barely anything more than a *hello' and a 'goodbye', but during the short conversation, she should tell me of her powers to bend reality by surpassing every boundary, leaving even me quite shocked...

...but apparently, she wasn't feeling much different towards my power... Yukari Yakumo and I were night and day, she created, and I ended it. What she saw as white, I saw as black... but like Yin and Yang, we would always move into the same direction. And one day, it was time. The fateful day had come as a gap appeared in front of me, and let a single, neatly folded piece of paper fall. Written on it were merely 17 words that should change my life forever...

"Gensokyo has been created. Meet me in Tokio, Japan, in exactly one week in the late afternoon."

1300 years ago, Gensokyo - Boundary, Yakumo Residence

"Here you go, Mister Gekido.", spoke the kitsune as she placed a cup of black coffee in front of me. I nodded towards her, more of respect than truly meaning. "Sure reminds of the first time that we met, isn't that right?", chuckled Yukari Yakumo, who sat oppossed to me on the other side of the table, her spoon making soft noises as it hit the cup while Yukari moved it through the depths of her coffee.

"Indeed.", I replied, closing my eyes. "And? Was it so bad that you came to Gensokyo?", asked Yukari, giving me the knowing look. "It was not.", I replied, thinking of one certain thing... or rather person.

"Ah... yes.. I have noticed the occasional glances towards her whenever she enters the room, or how you change around her... That shinigami sure caught your eye.", chuckled Yukari, taking a sip from her coffee. She hadn't changed at all...

"Is the coffee to your liking, Miss Yukari?", asked Ran, as she approached her mistress. "Yes, it is fine Ran.", replied Yukari, ruffling Chen's hair with her left hand, as the nekomata lay on her stomach aside Yukari, making one wonder if Chen was really Ran's shikigami or just their pet... (3)

"I also have noticed that Yuyuko is quite fond of you, Chôzen. Be careful, your ladykiller-self could make her fall for you.", chuckled Yukari, and sipped on her tea. "And I would just deny her like I denied you 500 years ago.", I replied, a grin forming on my lips.

Yukari flinched, her eyes wide, before she pulled the cup of hot coffee away from her, coughing. The hot brew spilled onto her dress as she coughed, her cup shaking violently. "Yukari-sama!", gasped Ran, and rushed for her mistresses aid. She pulled the cup away from Yukari, and put it down onto the table, but before she could even do something else, Yukari raised her hand to show Ran to stop.

"Playful today, are you?", growled Yukari at me, followed by a new fit of coughing. "...certainly interesting how you, despite having walked the path of nihilism, show such a sarcastic and sadistic side towards me...!", coughed the sukima, and my grin spread only further as I leaned onto my right hand.

"The path of nihilism has a fatal flaw... the emotion of love is not left behind... meeting Nanatsu has hit the only vulnerable spot of my indifferent personality... In the end, the path of nihilism doesn't create a change of heart, but a mask that is usually unremovable... my mask has cracked, and I believe it will break only further...and to be honest, I don't care about it.", I chuckled, a feral grin spreading on my face.

And all Yukari did was staring in confusion at me. It was the begin of our constant playful bantering.

about 1000 years ago, Tokio, Japan

Yukari fell out of her gap and landed on the ground of a nightly alley, which was luckily empty. Pulling out her folding fan and closing the gap behind her, she walked onto the still crowded streets, and made her way towards the nearby park. There, she just sat down onto a bench, and waited. And she shouldn't wait too long.

"Thank you for coming, Yukari..." She rose her gaze and immeadiately met bilious green eyes not all too far from her. "How could I not? Your message sounded pretty urgent.", replied the sukima no youkai, and made some space for him to sit next to her. Chôzen plopped down next to her, and let out a deep sigh.

"So, what was so urgent?", asked Yukari, her gaze fixed upon the empty and dusty path leading deeper into the park. "I'm coming back to Gensokyo with you... this night.", he spoke, letting out another deep sigh, totally uncharacteristically for him. The mask had indeed shattered, and while it hadn't broken off yet completely, a large chunk seemed already to be missing... he was becoming soft, and more caring...

"What do you mean with that? And where is Nanatsu?", asked Yukari, raising an eyebrow. As the name was spoken, Chôzen let out a deep sigh and leaned forwards, one hand moving through his hair. "That's it, Yukari... Nanatsu and I... we are through, I fear.", he muttered, shocking the sukima. "Excuse me?", asked Yukari quite surprised.

"Things... aren't the same anymore. Nanatsu and I... three days ago,we... had an argument. It escalated... and I left. I've been wandering around aimlessly since then... and after realising that it is over, I searched for Ran, well knowing that she was in this world to do something for you... and gave her the message that you should pick me up here.", he breathed, his body trembling... and then, a tear escaped the once emotionless being.

In shock about that, even the almighty Yukari didn't know how to act... so she did the only thing she could do... and slipped an arm around him. "Have you tried speaking with her?", asked Yukari, looking at nothing in particular, which was wide, wide in the distance, just away from the crying 'walking enigma'.

"I have... and we came to the conclusion that it had no use anymore... that wasn't our first argument, lately, we've been having more and more... and this time, it was too much...", he muttered, wipping his tears away.

"...are you really sure?", asked Yukari, as she rose from her seat, opening a gap. "I am.", he muttered, nodded, and stood up as well. "I was wrong. The path of nihilism is flawless. The love is the last thing to overcome... the path makes sure that every love will break.", chuckled Chôzen in an insane way... as he suddenly stumbled forwards.

Yukari gasped, made a quick step forwards, and catched her friend. "Chôzen, is everything alright?", she asked, shaking him... when Chôzen lifted his head and stared at her, she almost let him fall. "I believe he isn't okay... King got some serious problems...", snickered Chôzen, his voice higher than usual and distorted. And Yukari could only stare into those crimson eyes that looked at her so amused... until Chôzen suddenly choked and his body went limp again.

"...go away...", he hissed to himself, raising his gaze to Yukari... his eyes bilious green again. "Sorry about that...", he growled. "That freak always seeks an opportunity to take over...", he chuckled. (4) "Who is he?", asked Yukari, blinking.

Suddenly, Chôzen freed himself from Yukaris grip, and stumbled towards the gap. "Who he is?", asked Chôzen, glaring over his shoulder at Yukari. "Chôzen Gekido." Yukaris eyes widened and she took a step back. "T-then who are you?"

400 years ago, Gensokyo - Boundary, Yakumo Residence

"Lady Yukari? Lady Yukari, please wake up!", hissed a voice, before purple eyes opened just a little. "What is it, Ran?", growled Yukari, glaring at her Shikigami. "Uhm... it's... your friend, Chôzen Gekido, standing in the door, threating to negate my existence if I don't wake you up...", muttered Ran uneasily.

Immeadiately, Yukaris eyes snapped open, and she glared through the room at Chôzen, who stood leaned against the doorframe, his gaze towards the ground, black hair that shimmered green in the light covering his eyes. "Chôzen?", asked Yukari surprised, sitting up. "Indeed.", he spoke, his voice more indifferent that ever before. "Yukari Yakumo, I have come here to...", he chuckled all of sudden, then rose his gaze towards Yukari, making her flinch.

"...put this to an end.", he cackled, his eyes a deep crimson. With a sudden leap, Yukari was out of her futon, standing in front of Ran, protecting her Shikigami with one extended arm. "What do you mean by that, Chôzen?", asked Yukari, her expression that of utter disgust. But Chôzen just chuckled, and pushed himself off the doorframe.

"King has been reckless... no, to make it worse, he even tried shattering the mask. After six whole centuries of indifference, he has once again snapped... which is why I am the leading one. I can no longer watch this drama... it's making me sick.", growled the crimson-eyed Chôzen. "Explain.", huffed Yukari, slowly moving her arm down.

"I want to put this to an end... all this suffering... I can no longer watch him suffer, as I suffer as well. This is my body, and I cannot let him hurt it anymore. I want you to open a gap to the outside world... I will go through. I am planning to look for Nanatsu no Taizai, as to bring this to an end, I have to find her. She holds the shackles that have laid around me and the king... only she can end this suffering.", sighed crimson-eyed Chôzen.

"How can she end it?", asked Yukari. "I don't know. All I know is, that I have to find her... But we have to hurry now. He might regain control of my body any second now... Listen to my request: Open a gap to Tokio and let me through. I shall live there, and take the matters into my own hands. But as we know that he and I have buisness and 'friends' here as well, I request you to open a gap every three days that leads back to Gensokyo... He and I shall change between the worlds in a three day cycle... only in winter, I will stay here in Gensokyo.", explained the crimson-eyed Chôzen.

"I see...", muttered Yukari, nontheless looking pretty thoughtful. "Do you agree to my request?", asked the crimson-eyed Chôzen. Yukari nodded. "Very well then... so let us finish this once and for all, Yukari Yakumo.", he muttered... and Yukari opened the gap that should start the real tragedy...

today, Gensokyo - Chôzen Gekido's cave

Chôzen stired in his sleep, the memory of Yukari turning into the black nothingness it had been before... and then, Chôzen's eyes snapped open.

(1) I will go into that in a later chapter, but I guess some of you may already know which stone angels I am refering to. If so, please don't expect too much, I may only describe and mention them, nothing more. Just planned as reference, but maybe they might actually do... what they always do when someone blinks or looks away...

(2) In Japan, the surname is put first. Chôzen does this, as seen, but when Yukari says her own name, she uses the american way to say it, meaning the surname follows the first name. [thus two (2) in the chapter]

(3) Actually, something like that was said by Yukari herself in canon. In Reimu & Yukari's scenario in SA, stage 5, Yukari is heard wondering "where has our cat went off to"... Apparently, she was speaking to Ran off-screen.

(4) Reference to Bleach. And no, Chôzen does have no "inner hollow".

And that's it for the memory about Yukari. Again, it only contains some important memories, rather the unusual times (aside the first meeting) than the everyday stuff. Originally, this chapter was going to be very serious (or at least more serious than it is), but before I knew, there was this scene with Yukari hitting Chôzen more than once with her umbrella...

Dammit, Yukari, I bet you infiltrated my mind to make me write something to hurt poor Chôzen!

Also, cameo appearance by the Tenchi Muyo Cast. I friggin loved the OVA, but the rest was... meh. They had their good episodes, but the others... meh!

But yeah. Let's leave it at that.

Anyways, I'd like to inform you that I have started a poll... you can find it on my profile. I know that I originally said that I would not write an arc for Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object, but... there are these ideas I am playing with, and I am uncertain if I should write the arc or not. So, the topic of the poll is: Do you, my readers, want an arc for Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object in I-Negative Bullet? Yes or no?

You feel like influencing this story? If so, you might want to vote on that poll... if you like Touhou 12, and want me to write it, please vote... of course, if you do not want it for some reason, you are welcome as well to vote. Results are going to be revealed with the end of the Subterranean Animism Arc, until which the poll will be open.

Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review if you feel like it ;-)

That being said... See you around!

So lo... oh, wait. There is another chapter... Silly me ~! Yeah, there is an intermission chapter that follows this one. Nothing of the past, but as this story is set DURING Negative Bullet, I have to respect the timeline... I cannot let Chôzen sleep forever in 0-NM and make him remember things while he already is e.g. in the Mountain of Faith arc in I-NB. Remember, Chôzen is asleep, and the first part of his returning memories, namely 0-NM chapters 1 - 5, is set in between PoFV and the following Intermission arc.

So, next chapter! Onwards!