Chapter 10: A End

"A human?" Nitori said, amused, "Did you wander too far?"

Kyosuke warily took a step forward but a blast scorched the earth in front of him.

"Careful." Nitori smiled, "I can't let anyone pass this point. Unless you think you're good at Danmaku dodging, I suggest turning back."

"...I don't want to fight you."

"Smart."

"Don't be mistaken." Kyosuke said, reaching into his pocket, "I'm just putting that out there so that after this, I don't get any complaints from you."

"Oh?"

"Water Sign-Kappa's Flash Flood."

Water crashed through the trees, surging at Kyosuke. The human jumped above the Danmaku, latching onto a tree's branch and climbed up to avoid the flood as it grew. Along the way, he pulled out his counterattack,

"Divine Treasure-Salamander Shield."

Fire wrapped around him, evaporating the water when it touched him. The branch began to crack due to being wet, then set on fire, then doused again. Quickly, Kyosuke jumped down from the tree and straight into the water, the whole of his spellcard's power used to evaporate the water in a 3 meter radius when he landed.

"Divine Treasure-Salamander Shield." Nitori said, surprised, "That's Kaguya's card isn't it?"

"Yeah." Kyosuke said, dusting himself off.

"How'd you get her spellcard?" Nitori frowned, "I'm sure that Kaguya's cards had been taken."

"Oh? Don't you remember? You made it all possible for me." Kyosuke said, holding up the Spellcard.

"Me?" Nitori asked, confused, "...A-Ah!"

"Finally."

"You're that human!" Nitori smiled, "And that's the Spellcard I left you right?"

"Yeah. It was a pain to get though." Kyosuke grimaced.

Flash Back

"Easy. Normal. Hard." The human sighed, exhausted, "And now Lunatic. Goddamit, how much harder can this game get? And this stupid Extra Stage. Oh well. At least I'm up to the last boss. Come on..."

And then he came back and tried again the next day. This time he won.

"CONGRADULATIONS!" The Nitori avatar cried once he won, "A WINNER IS YOU! But don't get happy now, there's still more games I've created for you to play."

"Joy."

"But as a celebration for coming this far..."

The human's computer beeped and out slid a completely blank slip of paper.

"What's this?" The human asked, picking it up.

"It's a spellcard." The Nitori avatar smiled, "It's a blank one, so you can create your own Danmaku!"

"Oh. Joy."

The Flashback is over

"So since you have a Spellcard that means you've beaten, at least the first game right?" Nitori asked, happily.

"Yeah." Kyosuke said, looking at his own Spellcard, "And it was hell to get it."

"But why did you copy Kaguya's spell?" Nitori pouted, "You could've made your own spell!"

"You know what's the great thing about your Spellcards?"

"Hm?"

"The back's also blank."

"Eh? So?"

"It allows me to do things like this." Kyosuke flipped the Spellcard over, "Eternity Sign- Spacial Faux."

The world around Nitori twisted and snapped back like a rubber band, the resulting energy blasting the ground between them.

"What the hell was that?" Nitori cried, surprised and yet excited, "That's something new"

"Double sided spellcards." Kyosuke explained, "The spellcards you gave me had a blank back and so I decided to take advantage of that, encrypting second spell on the back.."

"Really? Wow.. I am unexpectedly a genius."

"So you encrypted an existing spell on the front and an original spell on the back?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Too bad you only beat the first game."

"Now who said that?"

"Eh?"

"This is only the fourth card." Kyosuke said, waving Kaguya's card, "This is the second." He pulled out another card, "Drown-Trauma in the Glimmering Depths."

Water erupted and completely submerged the two of them in a small sea. Nitori was well adapted to the water, but Kyosuke...actually he looked quite fine despite holding his breath. Nonetheless, Kyosuke opened his mouth as he turned the card, his words lost in the air bubbles. But then, all at once, a massive, hand cannon appeared in his hands. Nitori took a double take as the weapon primed.

KA-BOOOOOM!

The water was blasted away and the ground was left scorched by the blast. The trees were fine since the beam was surprisingly thin apart from the poor ones near the area of impact. Nitori coughed up ash as she got up again. The human looked equally tired, placing the barrel of his cannon on the ground and leaning on the WMD.

"T-That was amazing!" Nitori cried, her excitement running rampant, "Just what was that blast exactly?"

Kyosuke smirked, "Energize Sign-Kappa's Grand Invention."

The cannon gathers energy and fires it, energizing and accelerating that which it touches. Particle acceleration in other words. The difference is that instead of accelerating particles to create a energy construct as it's form of weaponry, the energy is generated and stored, used to propel the closest element that it touches. In this case, it was water, causing a hydro cutter that could cut through diamond."

"Whoa."

"It can also open locks."

"Whoa-wait what?"

The cannon disappeared, leaving behind the spellcard that the human took back into his hands.

"I've beaten you now right?" Kyosuke sighed, "I can pass you now."

"Of course." Nitori smiled and stepped to the side.

The human began his hike up the mountain again until Nitori grabbed his shoulder,

"Be careful." She frowned, "The last guard past here will be a hard for you to defeat."

"...I know."

Kyosuke could see the peak of Youkai mountain now and the large stone wall that stood on the clearing. The setting sun hid behind the lock, casting shadows over it, obscuring both it's details, and it's guard. But even with the shadows, the human could guess who it was.

"Inubashiri Momiji." Kyosuke said.

The guard got up from her kneeling position, pulling her sword from the ground, "I'm afraid I can't let you pass."

"Of course." Kyosuke sighed, "Do you still have your pride?"

"...of course."

"Mountain Nomad-Expellee's Canaan!"

Kyosuke weaved through the danmaku, barely making it while preparing his own spellcard,

"Judgement -Trial of the Ten Kings."

Momiji charged through the rain of bullets, blocking them with her shield and coming up close to Kyosuke to swing her sword. Kyosuke jumped back quick enough for the sword to graze his shirt. Momiji pushed forward again, this time, putting her shield up and smashing it into his stomach.

Kyosuke coughed and was thrown back, smacking against the ground once, before he landed properly. He jumped back again to avoid Momiji's sword again, and grabbed onto a branch in midair.

"This should do." Kyosuke grunted as he swung his leg up and smashed the branch, cutting it from the trunk.

Grabbing a part of the branch that was thick enough to be a decent handle, he landed to face Momiji again.

"That won't help against my sword!" Momiji cried, slashing at Kyosuke.

Kyosuke ducked back, but left his branch arm forward, leaving it high enough for Momiji's swipe to cut off the excess branch length. Momiji charged again, swinging her sword down. Kyosuke blocked it, the sword embedding deep into the branch. With a sharp twist, Kyosuke, twisted Momiji's arm down. Taking the chance, he released his grip on the branch to smash his palm on the shield that Momiji blocked with. Momiji was blown back, but landed much easier. As she regained her composure, Kyosuke pulled out another spellcard,

"Dog Sign-Rabies Bite."

The danmaku took Momiji off guard, grazing her a bit before she began to know them out of the air with her sword and shields.

"What...was that..." Momiji asked, once the danmaku timed out.

Once the danmaku timed out, however, the spellcard returned to Kyosuke who flipped it, "Crush Sign-Debilitate."

The spellcard glowed again and spun in midair once he let go of it. It morphed, turning into a sword much similar to Momiji's own.

"H-How?" Momiji cried, "A double sided spellcard?"

"Yes, the readers have already heard of this." Kyosuke said, taking hold of his sword, "Let's not repeat it for them again."

Kyosuke's sword clashed against Momiji's. They pushed each other for a moment before they both recoiled away. Kyosuke redirected the recoil's power to a horizontal slash which Momiji blocked with her shield. She slashed downward, but the human pulled his sword back enough to stop the blade with the butt. One thrust and Momiji retreated before he could hit her.

They stood, glaring at each other for a long moment...

"Why?" Momiji said suddenly, "Why is it that I when I fight you...my sword feels heavy?"

Kyosuke stared at her while she wrestled with her emotions. He sighed and dispelled his spellcard, "Have we met?"

"N-No...not that I remember."

"...Can't say it's your fault." Kyosuke sighed.

"Sorry. Should I know you?"

"No. Upon returning, part of my power is to wipe your memory."

"Power? Returning?" Momiji frowned, "Ah. AHHHHHH!"

"Looks like your memory finally broke through." Kyosuke said.

"Y-Y-Y-You're that human!" Momiji cried, dropping her weapons and pointing at him, "Wh-Why are you in Gensokyo?"

"Favor." Kyosuke sighed, "That stupid border Miko."

"B-But why..."

"To retake the spellcards you gave away."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because the border Miko told me to."

"Funny, I didn't see you as a person who could be ordered around so easily."

"Geh. I have personal reason too."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Well then...why?"

"...Why do YOU want to rejoin the Human Realm?"

"Eh? W-Well that's..."

"..."

"I-It's not for Me, per se, but..."

"...Aya?"

Momiji yelped in surprised, but hung her head and nodded.

"You still don't think about yourself too much huh?"

"I-It's not a bad thing...right?"

"No." Kyosuke sighed.

"...So why are you trying to stop the barrier from being released...personally?"

"For one, because I know it'd only cause problems for a long while."

"What do you mean?"

"You might not know this, but the outside world has become to rely on reason and logic. The appearance of magical creatures would warrant arrest and detainment as well as further study. To the extent of dissection. Then people will rally and claim that youkais have rights as well and a fight for racial equality will erupt...again."

"...Huh?"

"You can't understand it because most residents of Gensokyo are independent. I won't go on a long and boring philosophical rant, but the point is that my peace would be disrupted."

"You should like the 'Border Miko' now." Momiji smiled.

"I guess so." Kyosuke sighed, "Time's running out. Can I pass already?"

"...I won't stop you." Momiji said, stepping to the side, "I want to see how this will go."

"..."

Kyosuke stepped into the clearing, taking his first good look at the lock. There were circles carved into the wall, each grouped and connected with engraved lines to create groups. Supposidly, there was a circle for each spellcard that existed.

"I knew you'd get here eventually."

Kyosuke turned his attention to the figure standing under the gate. It was a girl. Apparently younger than him, but more important, she was human.

No. Half youkai. Just like...

"Welcome to my grand event." The girl greeted Kyosuke as she stepped out of the gate's shadow, "I'm glad you could find this place at all...brother."

"... Morichika...Sasoku."

"It's nice to see you again, brother." Sasoku smiled at Kyosuke.

"Pardon me if I don't trust you." Kyosuke said, taking out his spellcards.

"Aw, don't be like that. I haven't seen you in ages."

"Sorry, but I don't remember seeing you before."

"Oh, how mean." Sasoku pouted, but then smiled again, "No matter. We were both very young ever since we were separated so, I can forgive you."

"Hah. If that's true, I guess I can't forgive myself. I seem to be older than you."

"But you do remember your own past right?" Sasoku asked, "Well, no time to reminisce, I want to get this done by today."

"..."

"Don't worry. I won't need you double sided spellcards." Sasoku smiled, "The lock is meant for the spellcards created inside Gensokyo. I suppose you could fight with your 8 different spells, but do you really want to fight against my collective hundreds?"

At her words, all the spellcards that she had collected floated out from behind her, circling the two of them. Kyosuke ignored them, focusing on Sasoku... then he sighed and dropped his spellcards.

"You were always smarter than others." Sakoku smiled, "Now then, may I have your spellcard please?"

Kyosuke reached into his pocket and pulled out a different spellcard, with a regular back. He threw it to Sasoku who caught it. She beamed when she saw it,

"Thank you for your cooperation, brother." She smiled.

"..."

"Just stay there and watch please." Sasoku said as she turned to the lock. The spellcards floated, then flew at the lock, into the circles. Energy flowed through them, into each circle and energizing them. Sasoku smiled at her work and threw Kyosuke's spellcard at the lock. It flew into a lone circle and rested there. Power flowed through the lock and soon, a crumbling sound began to echo through the clearing. Sasoku watched it all with a satisfied look...until the energy began to disappear. "What? What's going on?" Sasoku cried, looking around. What's wr-"

"Dream Sign-Evil Sealing Circle."

Reimu's spellcard engulfed the clearing, it's holy light washing over the 2 of them. Until it died out.

Kyosuke picked himself off the ground. The spellcards littered the entire clearing. Sasoku woke up a few feet away from him. She got up and rubbed her head.

"You okay?"

"Ah. Th-The gate!" She turned around and looked at the lock which was still tightly shut.

"What? I had all the spellcards. Why did...no. I was missing one." Sasoku turned to her brother.

"Dream Sign-Evil Sealing Circle." Kyosuke said, waving Reimu's spellcard at her, "The border Miko gave this to me when she dropped by and ate my food. She slipped it out of your grasp."

"Dammit. No matter. I have all the spellcards. I can redo it."

"You're too weak." Kyosuke said, "Evil Sealing Circle is a powerful spell."

"So? You're half-youkai, just like me. You're just as weak."

"That doesn't mean I can't stop you."

"Oh yeah? Try it." Sasoku said, getting up.

The spellcards rose with her and surrounded the two of them. Kyosuke got up and sighed,

"Don't make me do this."

"..."

Kyosuke raised his hand and a still fallen spellcard rose, flying to his hand.

"...Unity Sign-Magic The Gathering."

The spellcard glowed and lights rose from all across Gensokyo and flew towards Youkai Mountain. The lights gathered behind Kyosuke and took shape.

"...Everyone." Sasoku gasped.

Behind Kyosuke stood all the girls of Gensokyo.

"Nice to see you so soon again." Momiji smiled.

"That's a strange spellcard you have." Nitori said.

"Let's hurry this up, I have work to do." Shikieiki crossed her arm, impatient.

"The sun! It burns!" Kaguya yelped.

"Momiji...Nitoti...Shikieiki...Kaguya..." Sasoku breathed, "What are you doing? Don't you want to see the human realm? Kaguya! You want more games don't you?"

"Yeah, but I've still got a lot of things to do with my friends." Kaguya said, recovering from her fear of light...a little.

"Shikieiki, don't you want to help people onto the right path?"

"As much as I don't like giving out Black verdicts, if I try to help somebody too much, I can't give an honest verdict." Shikieiki said, "The must live honestly, without my guidance."

"Nitori. All the inventions you could see..."

"Are meaningless." Nitori waved her plea away, "I've already created my masterpiece. I no longer have any ambition."

"...Momiji."

"..."

"You're doing this for Aya and Hatate aren't you?"

"...Sorry." Momiji bowed, "As much as it'd help them, it'll cause them many problems as well. And I don't want to do something that would hurt them so much."

"..."

"It's over." Someone approached from the back of the group, "Just because you have our spellcards doesn't mean we don't have our power."

"Reimu." Kyosuke said.

"Hello, human." Reimu smirked, "How was your trip?"

"Are you talking about my trip through Gensokyo or my trip to Gensokyo?"

"Eh? Was there's something wrong with the transfer?"

"I Landed. On my. HEAD."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it you stupid border Miko."

"Reimu." Sasoku said, "Reimu, you want donations don't you? You can get followers and donations if you go to the Human Realm."

"As much as I can get both of those." Reimu said, crossing her arms, "With all the incidents that'd follow, I'd much rather keep my peace."

"..."

Sasoku hugged her legs and lowered her head. The spellcards floated down and returned to their proper owners. Reimu tried to walk to the girl. But was stopped by Kyosuke. He walked up to his sister and sat down.

"...Why did you do it?"

"...Funny story isn't it?" Sasoku sniffed, "That both brother and sister would be border guards."

"...You too?"

"Yep. Just like you, I've met with all these girls before." Sasoku said, looking up at the gathered group, "My powers aren't like yours. For one I can actually control it-"

Kyosuke frowned.

"And the girls wouldn't have their memories erased. If it wasn't for your power as well."

"Explain."

"My power is based on gaps as well. I can send people back...as well as go to Gensokyo myself. I never did until one day. I entered Gensokyo to visit my past guests only to find that they didn't remember me. It wasn't my power. The lingering spell was someone else's. And very familiar."

"And that's how you found me."

"Yep. I wanted to meet you again, but I didn't know where you were. But I heard you complain about your job so many times."

"So you did this for me?" Kyosuke asked, surprised.

"Well...yes."

"..." Kyosuke sighed and held his head.

"Wh-What?"

"Yes, I do complain about my job a lot, but did I ever say that I wanted to quit?"

"..."

"I did this because I thought I was the only one who could. I do this because I have nothing better to do."

"...Ar-Are you serious?" Sasoku said, stunned by the last bit.

"Yes."

Sasoku stared at her brother...and proceeded to laugh, "AHA! AHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA! So you put up with these girls because your job is the only interesting thing in your life? Have you ever gone out of your house? I mean besides to get a newspaper? HAHAHAHa!"

The Gensokyo girls giggled themselves, but looked away when Kyosuke glared at them.

-Epilogue-

"So it's over now huh?" Reimu said, touching the stone gate.

"Yep."

"How do you think she was able to convince us so easily to hand over our spellcards?" Reimu wondered.

"Same way I got you here." Kyosuke said, holding up his spellcard.

"A spellcard? So it's brainwashing?"

"No. She probably just pointed out something that you would be able to do with the existence of the Human Realm. Something that would interest you or fix a problem of yours. The spellcard just increased either your curiosity or desire respectively."

"And how does your spellcard work?" Reimu frowned.

"I just gave a counter-arguement."Kyosuke said, "And I also gave you all purpose to band together."

"That's an annoying spellcard." Reimu said.

"Don't worry, I don't like using it myself."

"Why?"

"Too similar to brainwashing."

"Oh, nice. Real nice."

Kyosuke got up and began to walk off.

"Where're you going?"

"Home."

"Oh. Right. It was certainly an interesting experience in the Human Realm. Maybe I'll let my Marisa visit sometime."

"Please don't. I don't want to wake up and find my car keys."

"But you don't own a car."

"Exactly."

Sasoku sat alone, by herself when Kyosuke walked up to her, "Hey."

"Hey."

"What now?"

"...I don't know. I'm not even sure if I want to continue being a border guard."

"It's help." Kyosuke sighed, "At least you can use your power whenever you want."

"It's not that simple." Sasoku smiled.

"...Ready to go?"

Sasoku got up.

"WAIT!"

The siblings jumped in shocked and turned around. Everyone was running at them. EVERYONE.

"Drag them to Rinnosuke!

Let's have a big family reunion party before they leave!

YEAH!"

"Aren't you two popular?" Reimu smirked, walking up to them.

"You TOLD them?" Kyosuke cried.

"Of course. They wanted to know and they deserve to know." Reimu smiled.

"Come on." Kyosuke said, grabbing Sasoku's arm and running off.

"E-Eh? Me too?"

"Of course."

"But what would I do?"

"You could live with me if you want."

Sasoku looked shocked...then smiled and followed her brother away from Gensokyo.