~Author's Note~

Here's a scene from the long-running Touhou anime that doesn't technically exist.

~Touhou Spell-Card Strikers DX Series 3: Rise of the Lunarians, Episode 12: The Tournament of Champions Continues! Unleash the Orbs of Power!~

"Come on, don't go easy on me! You haven't even touched me yet!"

"Are you for real?! I'm just getting started!" Marisa sprang towards Sumireko with fire rolling off her fists. Sumireko fought back with pink psychic barriers, hard enough to make Marisa's knuckles bleed even with her gloves.

Sumireko's boot lashed up and struck Marisa in the jaw. She staggered backwards, her vision blurring. She saw a flash of purple light and jumped, feeling a burst of warmth from the projectile as it flew under her.

Sumireko was strong in defence and offence. Marisa had been fighting by her side long enough to know that, but she also knew where Sumi might slip up.

"All right, let's turn up the heat! Non-Directional Laser!" yelled Marisa. Beams of red light lanced out from her hands. She swept them towards Sumireko.

"That won't work!" Sumireko somersaulted over the beam coming up on her left. As quick as a flash, she was on her feet and ready to attack. "Zener Card Shuriken!"

A dozen whirling cards came flying at Marisa.

"Burning Ice Breaker!" Blades of fire extended from Marisa's hands, making her fingers tingle. She slashed the cards into burning tatters and smirked. "Is that all you've got?"

"Of course not!"

"Then suck on this." Marisa thrust out her arm and summoned as much power as she could control. "Master Spark!"

Sumireko's eyes widened. She called up the strongest psychic barrier she could muster, but the roaring beam of light burst through with ease. She was shoved helplessly across the arena until she thumped into the wall.

"Shoulda got out of the way!" said Marisa smugly, waving wisps of smoke off her hand. "Best out of three?"

"Maybe later," whimpered Sumireko.

"Hot diggity, that was a good sparring session!" declared Marisa, half an hour and a brief medical examination later.

"It was all right..." groaned Sumireko. "Alice, can you turn my ice pack over?"

Marisa lay back on her bunk and smiled. She'd grown so much since she left her home in the forest, with the support of all her friends and hundreds of enemies for target practice. She had little doubt she could win the tournament.

A few minutes went by. Reisen entered the dormitory with a platter of pulled pork rolls, dripping with melting brie and cranberry sauce. "Lunch is served, everyone!" she declared.

"Oh, lovely!" said Alice, eagerly seating herself.

"Awesome!" agreed Marisa, tying a pillow case around her neck.

"Great," said Sumireko, wincing as she sat up.

Reisen handed out the sandwiches. Her friends tucked in with varying degrees of gentility.

"You never change, do you?" sighed Alice. She tried to pass Marisa a napkin while leaning in the opposite direction.

"Mmpfh!" Marisa thanked her, face-deep in her sandwich.

Reisen paused next to Reimu, who was snoozing face-down on her bunk. She tapped her on the ankle. "Reimu? I hope you're feeling hungry."

Reimu yawned and rolled over. "Oh, is that for me? Thank you." She took the sandwich and ate it drowsily.

Marisa swallowed the last of her meal. "Has she seriously been sleeping all day?"

"Yes, since breakfast," confirmed Reisen.

"Good grief... You're never gonna win with that attitude," said Marisa. "Honestly, haven't you done any training at all?!"

"I don't need to," said Reimu levelly.

"Oh, of course, 'cause you're a goddess," said Marisa heavily. She stood up and stretched, revealing her sizeable biceps. "You know, where I come from, we have to work before we can succeed."

"Marisa, don't! I thought you worked through this back in Series 1!" cried Reisen. She put a comforting hand on Marisa's shoulder, prompting Alice to glare daggers at her. "Reimu's one of us, remember? Don't start pushing her again."

"I'm not pushing anyone, Reisen." Marisa pushed her arm away, eliciting a sigh of relief from Alice. "Listen, Reimu, I'm gonna show you what hard work and dedication can do! I've been training all my life to be the strongest spell-card fighter, and I won't lose to a lazy-bones!"

Reimu looked up with a warning in her eyes. "I'm not lazy, Marisa. I just don't see why I should work when it's unnecessary, and I don't need to work to get stronger. I'm strong already! I'll show you how strong I am during our match tonight."

"I'll look forward to it."