Okay, this PC has suddenly started to crap out in the form of mysterious loss of memory space.

Lt Colonel Summers has been using this PC for about four years already, and even he has no idea what's going on.

We do have a backup PC in mind. But it is a bulky laptop PC compared to this Windows RT tablet with a detachable keyboard...

Like Summers had said in his Profile page: Damn you, Microsoft...

Forewords ends here.


Fairy Forest Depth, outskirts of Gensokyo.

It became immediately clear to Reimu and Genji that the depth of the Fairy Forest seemed like an entirely different place even though it is just a different part of the same location.

A lot of booby traps were littered around the Fairy Forest Depth, but none of them currently manned. Some were even triggered prematurely a while ago, either hitting absolutely nothing or caused friendly "fire" for the fairies. Whatever the case, something made the official inhabitants of the forest flee all at once.

And that last part is a good enough reason to send chills down Reimu's back.

"Somehow, I get the feeling that whoever wanted to draw me here could be much creepier than that evil spirit back there..." The shrine maiden trainee said. "But it is part of my training as a shrine maiden to expect encounters with creepy individuals, whether they are human or not."

"You may be correct, Reimu..." Genji spoke. "I am currently sensing another source of dark sorcery, this one different that that of Mima's."

Reimu looked down the path ahead of her, then at Genji. "Great. Another one...?"

...

Much deeper into the Fairy Forest Depth, Konngara receives the latest updates on Reimu's progress via one of the many Shikigami she sent out.

"So I see..." The Astral Knight acknowledges what was relayed to her. "Despite the evil spirit going rogue, the shrine maiden trainee made it through in pristine condition, and is currently on her way to my position."

Konngara's mysterious conspirator performed a gesture, which the Astral Knight immediately understood.

"Yes, it would seem that a confrontation with her is inevitable." Konngara answered. "However, she does not yet meet the requirements of the plan. Something needs to be done so that she qualifies."

With that said, Konngara released another Shikigami. The paper cutout flies off toward the sky and quickly disappears.

"I have brought along an...underling...that would make sure Hakurei Reimu have what it takes to engage in a duel with me. I have just sent for her to do what she is instructed to do..." The Astral Knight told her mysterious conspirator. "However, the actions of the evil spirit has caused every single fairy in this forest to evacuate in fear, as such, my underling will be the only thing that stands in the shrine maiden's way."

The mysterious conspirator makes another hand-sign.

"I have prepared a solution for this dilemma as well..." Konngara answers, as she sends out a dozen Shikigami at once.

Each and every one of those Shikigami set themselves right-side up in midair, before they all took off toward the direction where Reimu would be approaching.

"For now, we can only wait and see for ourselves the outcome of the plan..."

...

Something suddenly drew Genji's attention.

"You sensed something again?" Reimu asked the flying turtle.

"Yes..." Genji answers. "Only this time, there's multiple weak sources instead of a single strong one."

"Fairies?" Reimu wondered if that's the case.

"No, this is not natural magic..." Genji told the shrine maiden trainee. "This is a casted spell, and I know only one such type of spell..."

The sound of papers fluttering in the wind can all of a sudden be heard. It seems to get louder every second...

Reimu looked ahead of the path, and saw what appeared to be a swarm of small human-shaped paper cutouts approaching her. "Paper dolls?"

"Weak Shikigami..." Genji continues. "Fragile but simple, they are often deployed individually for observation... Or in large numbers for direct attacks..."

The swarm of Shikigami suddenly came to a halt, forming a barricade that can't be broken through with simple brute force.

Reimu looked at the swarm of Shikigami, then at Genji. "So I take it that I'll have to fight through these things?"

The swarm of Shikigami begins to emit a dim glow.

"That would be the case..." Genji answers.

Just then, the purpose of the dim glow of the Shikigami swarm became apparent: they were preparing to attack.

The swarm of Shikigami begins with a barrage of danmaku. While these danmaku are not as powerful and large as the fairies', the Shikigami swarm makes up for it by firing in huge numbers.

Caught by surprise by such a huge amount of danmaku, Reimu wasn't able to react in time, and took several dozen hits directly. The only reason she wasn't knocked out on the spot is because these danmaku are weaker.

"Gods...damn...it!" Cursing, the shrine maiden trainee fires several danmaku at the swarm of Shikigami.

As Shikigami are made of paper, it took just one danmaku for one of them to be taken out instantly - even a glancing blow is sufficient.

The rest of the swarm of Shikigami fires more danmaku at Reimu. Knowing how they act this time, the shrine maiden trainee wades between the shots (albeit barely due to the sheer massive amount) and returns fire, taking out a few more Shikigami.

"I get the feeling that they'll just keep on coming unless I take down whoever is sending them." Reimu notes as she dodges incoming fires and shoots back. "That means I will have to charge straight through them. Genji, I need you to..."

Before Reimu can finish her sentence, Genji got hit by several of the Shikigami swarm's danmaku, causing him to drop abruptly onto the ground with Reimu still riding on him.

Fortunately, Reimu managed to keep herself balanced on Genji's back when the flying turtle dropped. "Genji, are you alright?" She asked him, while firing danmaku at the swarm of Shikigami.

"I am uninjured, Reimu..." Genji manages a reply. "But I'm afraid that I am unable to carry you the rest of the way. You will have to proceed on your own..."

Reimu had to dodge an incoming barrage of danmaku and then deploys an Ofuda at the swarm of Shikigami to blow them up. "But what about you?" She then asks Genji.

"I will be fine..." The flying turtle responds. "Whoever masterminded everything so far... I believe they only seek your presence."

It took a while for Reimu to process what she was told, and dodging another barrage of danmaku followed by shooting down more Shikigami didn't interrupt her thought. "That's right... None of the opponents we've come across so far has ever directed their attacks anywhere near you, even though they could've made things easier by knocking you out first."

The shrine maiden trainee then releases two more Ofuda, this time effectively dispersing the swarm of Shikigami...for now...

"Well, I guess that some day in the future, I will find myself in a situation where all forms of help are totally unavailable." Reimu quipped as she takes a short break after dispersing the swarm of Shikigami. "Its not part of my training, but I always thought it will eventually be the case..."

Genji seem satisfied upon hearing that. "Reimu, you showed as much potential as your mother. For that, I wish you good luck..."

"You know, Genji..." Reimu added, going off-topic. "...I always had a hard time understanding your archaic manner of speech. Not that I'm biased about it..." The shrine maiden trainee scratches her head, thinking of something else. "But anyway, since you don't look like you can go anywhere in this state, try to make yourself as comfortable as you can." She then walks down the path ahead, fully prepared to face anything. "I'll be back in a while."

Watching Reimu disappear down the path, Genji chuckled before declaring to himself, "Perhaps I should get myself accustomed to this new generation..."


I sure hope this PC lasts...

Anyways, this is just a filler chapter that I used to develop this incarnation of Reimu. A remake means a character with a different personality, after all.

The only reason you wouldn't know Konngara's 'underling' is Elis is that you don't even know about the PC-98 games. Thouugh there is something else I'll be raising that ZUN didn't.

So everyone who's into Touhou will know that ZUN didn't bother with establishing the western characters' exact nationalities, and even the fandom is unable to get a definite answer either. To address that problem, every single character will have an established nationality based on their characteristics or lore, starting with Elis.

Changes from canon:

Reimu's personality - Touhou Reimu is a jerkass, and I don't like jerkass protagonists. So I'm going to make Young Maiden's Chronicles Reimu somewhat caring for those around her.

"And that, as they say, is that..."

Afterwords ends here.