"I am Youmu Konpaku and I am half-ghost," the appealing swordswoman begins. "As you remember, we first met in the Sunflower Garden not too far from here. But since I had that accident, my spirit half was the one that saw you first. It is not often that my other half wanders off, even when I am sleeping. However, when she senses someone significantly odd, she becomes attracted to them and even starts to follow them around in some cases."

There was no doubt that the spirit was following Louis. It chased him around from the start and then began poking him later on.

"Define odd though. There is everything from gods to vampires in Gensokyo."

Youmu nods at the valid point, and pauses before addressing its flaw. "The one that my other half attracts to the most is the ghost mistress, Lady Yuyuko. In other words, my spirit half is attracted to other spirits. The reason I challenged you is because I knew that and one other thing. My spirit half can perform every attack that I can, however, its properties are different from my own. While my real blades have the power to banish evil spirits with ease.. most attacks from my other half have no effect on them. During our battle, my other half launched far more attacks at you than I did, and yet you avoided them all without moving. And based on what you said afterwards-"

"I didn't even see its danmaku to begin with.." Louis completed that thought since he admitted to it earlier. It is just as he thought. Louis let off a broken sigh as his chest started to knot up. "I figured that you would find me out. The truth is that I was from a completely different universe before I wound up in this place. I still have no idea how removing myself from my world got this kind of result.. but lo and behold."

"Removing yourself.." Those words stood out the most to Youmu despite Louis having the exact opposite intention. She scanned his eyes just to make sure that her current thoughts made sense. Still somewhat uncertain, she speaks up anyway.. "Are you implying that you took your own life?"

"Yeah."

"Louis..!"

[BGM~okbvdbIu9VU "In the Town of Incessant Rain (Little Busters)"]

The familiar voice shakes Louis up greatly. He looks behind him to find not only the voice who called him, but the faces of everyone that gathered at the Hakurei Shrine. Louis was quick to hate the fact that people in these kinds of worlds have the tendency to show up at the most inconvenient times.

"So that's why.." The voice belonged to Yuyuko, whose somber expression also seems understanding.

"I thought something was off about you.." That observation came from Reimu, who found Louis strange from the beginning.

Expression mileage varied from Remilia's utter speechlessness to Yukari, whose back was turned the entire time. The worst-case scenario for Louis is apparently becoming a reality for him, and of course, he had brought this entire situation upon himself from the beginning.

"Despicable, isn't it? It's the ultimate sin after all. Even if I had the decency not to bother anyone else with my decision.. even if I chose a place where no one would find me for a long time, I'm still no better than the lowlives that would make others suffer in the process. Right..?" No response. At this point, Louis becomes doubtful that anyone is willing to speak to him from here. "I knew that even on the night that I decided. But compared to a place like that, I was ready accept an afterlife in hell. Arriving in Gensokyo like this was way too good of an outcome for someone like me!"

"So that's the kind of person that you are," Youmu replies.

"..." He wanted to argue that there were more positive sides to him than what is being shown, but he quickly dismissed the belief as irrelevant. Youmu goes into deep thought over the matter. Or perhaps she is combating the difficult silence.

"Your case really is unusual. Typically, once a spirit loses connection with their body and reaches Gensokyo, they find their way to the Sanzu River. The wandering spirits are then ferried in groups towards Higan for the purpose of awaiting judgment. I understand now, Mr. Starsky. You were once a wandering spirit, but you somehow managed to develop a conscious body upon reaching Gensokyo."

The thought never occurred to him until today - partially because he was seeking to cast aside his former identity since his arrival. "I was banking on becoming something like that - not some strange visitor in a strange world gathering all this attention."

"It is not too late," Youmu replies. Louis naturally wants an explanation. "If you are that troubled by it, I can extract your spirit from your artificial body and then guide you to the Road of Liminality personally."

"You can really do that..?"

[Fade BGM]

"To tell you the truth, it has been a while since I have done something like that, but the Zanmaken Ni No Tachi technique should work without fail."

"Woah, isn't that from the Shinmeiryuu sword style?"

Louis's identification catches Youmu off-guard. "You're the very first person I met who identified that secret style on their own..."

"I'm surprised that I still remember those terms," Louis replies. "I practically grew up with that stuff."

"You grew up with it? That's amazing..!"

"Ha... Thanks, but it's not what you think."

Louis chuckles to himself, briefly forgetting the mood. Everyone's serious expressions were enough to remind him.

[BGM~Pl6Te4vV2ws "Beyond the Clouds (Yoko Kanno)"]

"Louis," Youmu calls. "If you truly intend to go through with this, then I suggest that you say your goodbyes beforehand."

"Yeah. Please excuse me." Louis would have requested as much. Even if it is too late for redemption, he should at least say goodbye. There are several people for Louis to address, and the first on the list is the one that he upset directly.

"Ms. Saigyouji..." Louis approaches the Ghost Princess. She is accompanied by Yukari, who is still facing the other way, and Ran, who looks like she would bite if Louis got too close. "I'm sorry for yelling at you back there. If I wasn't a coward and faced the facts much earlier, I wouldn't have exploded like I did. Gensokyo really is a paradise like you said. But if anyone else deserves to be here, it's the mastermind who made Gensokyo known in my world... or at least people that live geographically close to it.."

After a brief moment of silence, Louis turns away and approaches the nearby Shrine Maiden next. She reflexively lowers her elbows and watches him attentively.

"Ms. Hakurei.. The time we spent was short, but it was nice finally getting to meet you. I had a lot of fun. It would be nice to spend more carefree days in this kind of place with you and everyone else, but someone like me staying here would be nothing but trouble.. and I know you get enough of that with your duties and all."

Reimu's hard stare did not budge only until Louis's last phrase. She internally counted how many times people actually acknowledged her role in Gensokyo. Her counting stopped once Louis turned away and headed towards the tour trio huddled under a light pink parasol held by Sakuya.

"I feel really terrible for bringing this kind of mood all of a sudden - especially after all that you guys did for me." Remilia's squint indicates that it will take more than those words to be forgiven. "For the record, I wasn't joking when I said that I would pledge loyalty to you all. I'm sure mansion work would get grueling at times, but I know that I'd be crazy enough to find happiness with a cast like all of you guys. But in the end, someone like me just wouldn't cut it."

Louis then shifts his attention to Patchouli specifically. Looking into her sharp violet eyes, he senses nearly every emotion: Anger, compassion, fear, understanding, sorrow, and much more. The muddled thoughts conveyed to Louis brings him near the verge of tears, but he quickly determines this is not the time to choke.

"The god or gods that set this whole thing up were way too generous; letting me meet the people from my wildest dreams. It's ironic that the best time I've had in my entire life was at a time where I was technically not alive. Or maybe it's just plain pathetic. Either way, thank you for everything. My only regret is that the whole mystery behind me was so lame. If only I was Batman..."

Patchouli's tiny lips start to squirm, as if words were trying to develop. After an undefined length of time, Louis finally turns back to Youmu. Somehow, her expression is the softest out of everyone else's.

[Fade BGM]

"That about wraps it up."

Youmu sighs inaudibly. "Very well."

As Youmu slowly began to draw her longer blade, he started to review everything he has accomplished in these worlds - from saving an ill-fated magical girl, to helping a future idol achieve her first performance on stage. It has been one dream scenario after another; a fulfilling fantasy afterlife fit for someone who brought about great things in their lifetime. That is why Louis Starsky believes that the gods have given such a wonderful fate to the wrong person.

"Objection!"

[BGM~0IDOo7nztHA "Highland (Quest 64)"]

An aggressive voice sounds, and then a figure suddenly enters the space between Youmu and Louis. She spreads her arms in a showy fashion then about-faces to Louis. Within the girl's light-brown eyes was ferocity and certainty - the polar opposite of her subject.

"Lyra.." Louis identifies to the lot that are unaware.

"Louis, you got to spice things up more than this!" the light-skinned stranger begins immediately after pointing towards the tourist. "Since no one said anything to you, I'm going to point out something that should've been obvious. No one out here will be willing to forgive you if you go out like this! You know how people communicate with each other in this world! Youmu Konpaku! I am Lyra, and I declare that this kind of ending is only going down if you defeat Louis Starsky with your best Spell Cards!"

Youmu responds to the stranger with an earnest smile.

"Lyra, this is unnecessary.."

"Actually... Based on what you said earlier, you left your world without letting anyone know your true feelings." Youmu postpones drawing her weapon before continuing. "To put it simply, that's very dangerous when it comes to your final judgement. Louis.. If you are willing to bear your feelings in the form of danmaku, then I will bear them with you."

[BGM~l68EQnKxqok "Mystic Oriental Dream (Ancient Temple)"]

"Youmu..." Louis calls after noticing that the rainfall is starting to build up. "I can't say no after a speech like that..."

"Your way with words are nothing to sneeze at either."

As Youmu and Louis draw their weapons, Youmu's ghost half takes the shape of Youmu and draws her weapon. Afterwards Lyra reaches to the sky and generates a pink quarterstaff with burgundy tips. Its size is equal to Louis's.

{Opposition: Youmu Konpaku - The Half-Phantom Gardener}

"Louis," Lyra calls while testing the weight of her weapon. "Sorry for getting in your way, but I'm not ready to give up. That's why I don't want to watch you give up either."

"I don't really have a choice at this point."

The staff vs. sword skirmish begins once all four combatants raise their weapons high and then come down with a forceful diagonal swing that generates a heavy concentration of danmaku. They proceed to comparing their kata forms while occupying the space between them with massive amounts of kinetic energy. Youmu's ghost-half manages to weave her way into a close enough proximity to launch a leaping strike at Louis's direction. Louis meets the airborne attack with a danmaku gale. The force of it only manages to suspend her landing by a small margin. Suddenly, the ghost half takes a hit from Lyra's identical gale and gets launched back to Youmu.

"Physical attacks from the ghost half can still affect you," Lyra warns. Afterwards, the two of them spin their weapons in great synergy. The ghost half has a difficult time getting past their curtain, but Youmu finds an opening at ground level. She advances to melee range and gets a clean hit on Lyra. Lyra manages to guard a second vertical strike with her staff while Louis rushes to the fray with a Spell Card activated.

"Third Party Mediation!" The conditions of the Temperance Spell is met and Louis's staff burns with an intense energy. The ghost half quickly phases into its range and takes the hit in Youmu's place, flying far as a result.

Youmu manages to backstep to a safe distance after the attack. "The two of you are moving as if you are of the same mind."

Lyra smirks at the keen observation. "It's a long story that never came to be!"

Youmu grins and draws a Spell Card in response. "This will be more interesting than I thought."


Meanwhile, on higher ground, a party of seven continues to spectate under two parasols. The wielder of the white parasol looks down upon the battle with an ambiguous smile.

"A duel between a half ghost and a wandering ghost doesn't happen very often," says Yukari.

Sakuya, the wielder of the pink parasol responds. "So Louis.. really is a ghost?"

"I'd better not be stuck here during my afterlife or else I'm gonna be pissed!" Reimu scowls from directly behind Yukari. "Although heaven doesn't really seem that impressive either.."

Ran Yakumo smirks in disbelief. "Your outlook sounds so damn miserable!"

"At any rate, Louis Starsky will vanish from this world if he loses this struggle." Yukari was quick to keep the topic within certain boundaries.

"That idiot.." murmurs Remilia.

"Isn't that what he wanted anyway?" Reimu replies. "He even said so himself.."

Sakuya tilts her head in response to the point brought up. "That appeared to be his remorse talking more than anything else. Take a look at how hard he's trying now."


"Why are you laughing..?"

Louis is on one knee in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Moments ago, he lost his balance to the wet grass from launching a Passionate Squall. Louis starts to reply to the question as soon as he recovers. "I got so caught up in the moment that I almost forgot that someone like me just challenged a total badass."

Youmu blinks rapidly. "Huh? M-Me? But that's not.."

"Hahaha, I'm so screwed!" Louis continues. "But you know? There really is nothing left for me to lose."

Youmu offers a helping hand in response. "Keep that thought in mind the next time you think about holding back."

"Yeah!"

Once Louis gets up, Lyra joins Louis's side again, and the four strike a stance that is apparently ready to start another round.


"What's with him anyways..? He's so flaky!" Reimu rests her hands behind her head. The Red-White Shrine Maiden never had a knack for understanding how others think, let alone someone like Louis.

"I think he's entertaining to watch!" is Yuyuko's simple response. "Is that why the Scarlet Devil offered to bring him out here?"

Remilia sought to avoid talking about Louis further, but the Ghost Princess's innocent smile demanded an answer. "That idiot.. triggered my weak point by being so nice to my baby sister."

Reimu, after recalling Flandre Scarlet and her nature, managed to convince herself that Louis is completely insane for getting along with someone like that.

"I wonder," Yukari says to Remilia. "If you had a say towards the fate of this battle, what would you choose?"

The question irks Sakuya considerably more than Remilia for some reason. "If I had a say huh..? Why I'd drag that bastard out of there this instant, pound him myself, and force him to apologize properly!"

The answer visibly perplexed Reimu. "Apologize for what, exactly?"

Remilia lets off a light frown and answers by wrapping her arm around Patchouli's shoulder. The warm sensation startles her slightly, as she was fully absorbed with the battle up until now. "Sorry, did you say something Remy?"

Even Reimu was able to identify the lost expression that Patchouli wore. It sent her a clear message that she is missing some important information. Yuyuko also takes note of the expression before her response.

"Now I am starting to see what you see, Yukari."


[Fade BGM]

The struggle persisted for nearly a half an hour. Lyra eventually had to recall and Youmu's ghost half decided to stay in spirit form due to exhaustion. Louis and Youmu stare each other down with battle stances and heavy breaths.

"No matter how I look at it," Youmu cries. "Your motions are nothing like one that has lost the will to live. Why did you do it, Louis..? That is, if you do not mind me asking."

Most of the frustration and embarrassment left Louis during the exchange of blows. For once, his mind feels at liberty to answer.

"I left my world when I realized that I was no longer myself..."

"Who were you before? Who are you now?"

A question that was admirably to the point as it was relative.

"I.. I used to be someone that could always bring out a positive atmosphere. I was actually someone that was fun and pleasant to be around. But as time went on, everything around me fell apart - and eventually, I lost every reason that I had to smile. Without that smile, I was nothing positive. And like nothing, I was forgotten. Sure I could have paid or even forced someone to care about my problems, but I didn't want pity... and to me... false emotions are much worse than none."

Of course there is much wrong with such logic, and both of them are aware. Ultimately, Youmu decided to shift the topic from the past to the present.

"Do you still feel that way, even in Gensokyo? Everyone that started watching this battle from the start are still here. Do you think that either of them feel obligated to watch us battle in this rain?"

Louis looks behind him in response. Sure enough, all seven of the people that were met at the shrine still remain. All of them most likely have their separate motives, and some are less concerned than others, but the fact remains that everyone is still there, waiting for the end. Louis turns back to Youmu once he's seen enough. "That's because.. this world is way too ideal... to accept someone like me."

"With that being said.. are you willing accept.. this ideal world back?"

The voice came from a warp portal that materialized beside Louis and Youmu. Yukari, Ran, and Yuyuko emerged from the gap; the last among them approaches Louis with an expression of serenity.

"A world of humans, a world of youkai, a world of ghosts like you and me... for someone like you to exist in this land... I see no problem. So you should stop fighting for now, okay?"

[BGM~Nf_1wiqUY8I "Yoru (Ragnarok Online 2)"]

Louis took those words to heart as Yuyuko embraced Louis tightly, a warmth surged through his breast pocket, and the tears embedded inside of him began to flow. He closed his damp eyes and believed to himself that he could easily depart from this moment happy and without regrets. But deep down, he knew his eyes would eventually open again to the people that were waiting.

(The Road Paved in Concepts - A Multi-Crossover Project written by the NHK Ambassador)

"In the end, we did not go to very many places, and the rain does not look like it will be letting up anytime soon. Not to mention you're soaking wet. Shall we call it a day?"

"Yeah." As Louis answers Remilia, he examines the newest card to join his 21 Maidens roster. Yuyuko Saigyouji graced the card, complete with her majestic blue attire, a heavenly smile, and a holofoil background of a strange design that shifts from a violet-to-ruby gradience.

(The author owns no characters involved in this story, with the exception of Louis Starsky, Valerie, Lyra, and the Five Riders.)

"Come with me and I will bring you all to the mansion."

After those words, a less-than-inviting dimensional tear develops next to Yukari Yakumo's right hand. Remilia, Patchouli, Sakuya, and Louis were all hesitant, but the only other option is to brave the rain. The three ladies enter first, and Louis takes the time to wave Yukari, Ran, and Yuyuko goodbye first before entering.

"You should take it easy from here on Louis." The suggestion rang through his ears right before the gap vanished.

(Special Thanks to: Kujo, Sakana, and Claire for the collective support~)

{Scarlet Devil Mansion: Guest Room}

"I'm sorry, Patchouli. I should have told you sooner."

Louis did not hesitate to jump into bed after everything that happened. Louis apologizes while silently believing that there are many sore muscles in his future.

"In retrospect, I cannot imagine how one would bring up such a topic on their own," Patchouli replies. "Regardless, I would be lying if I said that I am completely unfazed by all of this. More importantly.."

"Huh?"

Patchouli responds with a sudden angry glare. "Why would you even think about dropping everything a second time! It's bad enough that you've done it once! And here I thought that I was being selfish... do you have any idea how worried everyone was!"

(And a VERY special thanks to all of my readers and reviewers!)

Louis determined that nothing he can say could make what he did any better. Patchouli eventually sighs off her vexation.

"All I am saying is that.. you've been very mindful towards others in the past, and you should maintain that aspect."

As Patchouli's eye contact wanders, Louis calls her once more. "Patchouli.. I'm going to make a new promise to you since my last one got jacked: I won't run away ever again."

"I will hold you to that promise. With that being said, we should get some rest." The Unmoving Library's expression softens as she places a hand on the top of Louis's head. "It really is like cotton. To think that I almost missed the chance to feel for myself."

And somehow, despite everything that's happened, the two managed to leave each other in high spirits.


On this road filled with strange concepts, there is a young man who walks this road named Louis Starsky. He entered this road lost and without a care in the world. But now, Louis feels as though he has a purpose in this wondrous, yet guilt-ridden journey. Not only must Louis keep going forward, but he must also seek the many mysteries that this world has to offer; with the help of friends near and far, through all obstacles that will present itself, and unwaveringly towards the unknown limits...

For this is Louis Starsky's silent vow.

SEASON 2 END