It's getting hard to write... have to... hang in there...

"In winter..." Sunny Milk says.

"When it snows..." Luna Child continues.

"You got to have..." Star Sapphire adds.

"A SNOWBALL FIGHT!" All three chorus together.

I walk forward, mike in hand as the warmly dressed crowd applauds my introduction crew. The turnout is slightly more than I expected, but nothing beyond what I planned for. Well now, it's time to start.

"Welcome everybody!" I speak into the mike, letting the speakers I borrowed from Nitori transmit my voice around. "As you all know, I've been arranging this snowball fight tournament for anyone who wishes to compete, and it is TODAY!" I let the cheers settle down. "Okay, I'll be honest here. I'm not good at talking to a crowd, and I'm sure that the less time we spend out in the cold, the better. So let's get straight to business quickly, shall we?"

Most of the crowd nod approvingly.

"Right, first let me point out the stores around the sides. Hot food and drinks are being sold there. Thank you to the kappas for providing the heaters to keep them warm." I start clapping, and the crowd picks up on my cue. "Please be careful not to fall ill here."

"As you can see in the center of the ground before the shrine, there is a large rectangular area marked by some posts with talismans on them." I say as I step into the marked area. "This is where the matches will be held. As you can see," I bend down and scoop some snow, flinging it to smack into the border, "You will be protected from any stray shots. So please do not touch those posts."

I walk back to my initial place in front of the shrine. "Also, let's show some appreciation for our carpenters in providing chairs and tables." This time, the crowd doesn't need my prompting. "As well as some of the equipment we'll be using today. Now, I'll explain the rules."

Of course, having a plain snowball fight would be boring and tedious, especially since some of the participants can take over nine thousand snowball hits before they even stumble, so there's some rules involved to keep things fast. At the beginning of each match, a member from each of the two teams would play janken, and the winner would pick one of two things to do.

"As you can see near me, there is a box, and a wheel. The box contains wooden balls, numbered from one to nine." I reach into it and pull out a six. "This determines the maximum number of hits any participant can take during the match before being sent out."

The other team would do the opposite, which in this case involved spinning the wheel. This would give the secondary winning objective apart from wiping out the opposite team. There were rules such as capture the flag, target the leader, find the treasure, and build a complete snowman, plus a small red section which I passed off as really dangerous.

"Well, I'm sure it sounds complicated right now, so let's just skip the tedious explanations for now, shall we?" The crowd chuckles, and I hear a few of them call for me to hurry up. "Alright, let me introduce my commentators for this tournament. First we have the reporter for the Bunbunmaru, Aya Shameimaru!"

Aya pops out from behind me, holding her own mike. "Hihi~! Nice to be here!"

"Hey..."

"What?"

"Aren't you cold? You're just wearing a skirt." Some of the crowd titter at this.

"Ayaya~ I'm a tengu, we fly at high speeds, so we're used to being cold around there."

That sounds like it has a naughty implication. "But not around your neck, apparently." I observe, seeing the thick scarf she's wearing. I hear a bit of laughter.

"It's really warm~"

"Okay, okay... next is the priestess of Myouren Temple, Byakuren Hijiri!"

"Good morning to you all!" Byakuren joins me with a third mike. "I look forward to have an enjoyable time with everyone else."

"So, Hijiri-san, who are you supporting to win?"

"My... I haven't really considered about it, but I would like the team from Myouren Temple to take the victory."

"No harm in that of course. Right, Aya-san?"

"Yes! It's natural to support those who are close to you!"

"But of course," Byakuren continues, "I would be satisfied as long as every participant plays fairly and equally, with no hard feelings afterwards."

"And there you have it. Players, please do your best, but keep in mind that this is a game! Now, did I forget anything?" I turn to Aya.

"Why are you asking me?" Aya asks confusedly.

"Well, I thought you might know, since you seem to have an unhealthy amount of knowledge of things."

"That's rude! I'm just a seeker of truth!"

"Okay, that means there isn't. So without further ado, let's take our seats and begin! Hijiri-san, Aya, please." I extend my hand to the long table nearby with mike stands on it.

As we take our seats and slot the mikes into their respective stands, Suika pounds out a drumroll on the nearby drum, signaling the start of the snowball fight tournament and drawing loud applause from the audience seated around the arena.

"First up, we have the team Miko Doll Spark, headed by none other than the Hakurei shrine maiden, Hakurei Reimu!"

"Hey! Why is it Miko Doll Spark, why not Spark Miko Doll?"

"Because your team leader submitted that name!" I retort as the crowd laughs. "And it's too late to change it already. Besides, it sounds better that way! Now get in there!"

"Ayayaya~" But despite her exclamation, Aya is grinning as well.

As Byakuren introduces the other team consisting of youkai, I signal Komachi at the corner of the shrine. She nods and moves around to the back, and I gesture for the team leaders to come forward. After a quick round of janken, Reimu wins and picks the wheel. The painted wood swirls, making a clicking noise as the pointer hits the thin rods around the edges, before finally coming to a stop on 'Team Leader'. The opposing team leader, a male youkai, rummages through the box and takes out a ball marked with the number one.

"And it's been decided! One hit and you're out! The other winning objective is to take out the team leader!"

"That means the team leaders should stay at the back, shouldn't they?" Byakuren enquires.

"Indeed! But a stray shot may spell an unlucky defeat for the team also..."

"This looks like it'll be interesting," Aya comments to my right, "Will they play defensively or go on an all-out attack?"

"Now, before we begin, I would like to introduce the referee for this tournament! All you assembled people out there, please don't worry. She has promised to focus on the matches only today. Presenting... the great Yama, Shikieiki Yamaxanadu!"

There are a few audible mutters and whispers of amazement as Shikieiki walks out onto the field and takes her seat at the table just outside the border, opposite from me. Of course, no matter what I might say, there are some things you just can't help. All the youkai around know of Shikieiki's inclination to lecture others, which is why they often hide whenever they know she's around.

"Thank you, Ikuto." She says simply into her own mike in front of her. "Now, before we begin the first match, I will explain the general rules that the organizer has forgotten to mention."

I facepalm. Damn, so I DID forget something.

"All participants are forbidden to fly during their respective matches. This will ensure that things are kept fair. Also, participants are forbidden from using any special abilities they have to defend or attack. The only form of attacks allowed are with snowballs."

"Thank you, Great Yama." Oh yeah... got too caught up in my role to remember to mention the rules. "Alright then. Teams, take your positions!"

Reimu, Alice and Marisa make their way to one end of the arena while the other team go to the opposite end, both sides crouching down behind the snow barriers that were already constructed. As expected, their shoulders are moving, indicating that ammunition is being prepared.

"And... START!" Suika strikes the drum once as the crowd cheers, and the match is on.

"Woah, Team Miko Doll Spark is going for a quick attack!" Aya announces excitedly as Reimu leads a charge. "A risky maneuver, but if they pull it off, it's going to be a quick win for them!"

"But the other team seems to have expected that." Byakuren observes. "The team leader is remaining hidden behind the barrier while his comrades are defending."

"Still, Team Miko Doll Spark hardly seem fazed by the defensive fire. Looks like they've been training hard for this."

Similar to the opposite team, Marisa and Alice are laying down cover fire for Reimu, with Marisa launching a continuous barrage while Alice relies on accurate sniping. One of the opposing defenders is too slow to duck back under cover and gets nailed in the head with a snowball.

"OUT!" Shikieiki announces, as supporters of Reimu's team let out whooping cheers.

"Oh, looks like the loss of one of their members has forced the team leader to step forth! And with a pretty good barrage of his own!"

The youkai's rate of fire was faster than Marisa's, but against a team consisting of experienced danmaku players, it's almost useless; Reimu ducks and weaves among the flying snow gracefully, and releases her own, single shot. It hits the opposing team leader directly on the chest, and Suika signals the end of the match.

"Winner: Team Miko Doll Spark!"

"How long was that, Aya-san?"

"Just over a minute. A fast, quick victory by the Hakurei shrine maiden and her partners."

"Looks like we have quite the high-level team for our first match. I believe this would make Team Miko Doll Spark the favorites to win in their block."

As Byakuren speaks, a mini Suika trace a brush over one of the lines that make up the tournament chart to record Reimu and co.'s win.

"Moving on, let's go to our first match in the second block." I consult the paper I'm carrying with me. "Well now, this looks like it'll be interesting too..."

"Who are the teams?" Aya asks, peering at my paper as well. "Ayaya..."

"It's our game openers, the Three Mischievous Fairies!" I announce.

"Hey! That sounds rude!" Sunny flies to stop in front of me.

"Um, you didn't submit a team name, and it would be rude if I just called you Fairy Team One, right?" I make up on the spot.

Luckily, Sunny seems to be partially convinced by that. "Well, if you put it that way, then..."

"Besides," I look past her at the crowd. "Most of the people here think the name suits you three."

The blond fairy turns around to see most of the audience nodding in agreement. "Oh, alright..."

"Let's start then!"

This match also ends quickly; despite the cloudy sky inhibiting Sunny and Luna's abilities, they're pretty experienced in snowball fights, and Star's radar helps her detect movement. Plus all three of them have had extensive experience in snowball fights. They'll probably go far in their block, I'm sure.

Once the field has been prepped and ready, Aya starts announcing the next round. "Now, the next match is between..."

Most of the snowball fights are fast, and rarely do people actually win by fulfilling the secondary objective. But the crowd is enjoying the increasingly furious matches, as youkai and humans alike do their best to win. At the same time, my commentator group are getting worked up as well, and it produces a synergistic effect that gets everyone cheering hard for their supported team.

"OOOH! RIGHT TO THE FACE! RIGHT TO THE FACE! That's GOTTA hurt!"

"But she's not giving up, she's giving back as good as she got!"

"You there, out!"

"And that marks the end of this match!" Byakuren says cheerfully, "Both teams, make sure to thank each other for a good fight, please!"

As the teams leave the field, I turn to Byakuren. "Hijiri-san, Hijiri-san."

"Yes?"

"What do you think of the next match? People from your temple are going to be in it, right?"

"Why yes, Nazrin, Ichirin and Nue-chan are participating. Do your best, you three!"

I chuckle. "How do you feel about their chances?"

"I think they'll win, of course."

"And out comes Team Myouren!" Aya announces excitedly.

I notice that some of the crowd seem to shy away from Nue, and when I squint at her, I can make out an oddly shaped outline around her. Guess she's using her ability to hide her true self. I still don't have any idea how I can see her true form. Just how do I do it, I wonder...

"Begin!"

Shikieiki's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I quickly focus on the math. Can think about it later. "And it's off!" I shoot a quick glance at the wheel. "Looks like Team Myouren is going for the secondary objective: Making a snowman!"

"Do your best, Unzan!" Byakuren cheers the Nyuudou who's busily gathering up snow for the snowman. "Don't forget to defend, the rest of you!"

"Hey now... Hijiri-san, you're supposed to commentate, not cheer."

"Awww..."

"Ayaya, don't be so picky, Ikuto! Look, the other team has decided to do the same!"

Indeed, it has turned from a snowball fight to a snowman-building race. "It looks like the team from Myouren Temple is faster, so I believe that the other team will attempt to- oh, there they go."

Two of the opposing youkai are charging towards the Myouren side, lobbing snowballs high up into the air in a blind attempt to bombard the team. Unexpectedly, the barricade they're attacking explodes outwards, courtesy of a snarling Nue. I squint again as the crowd scatters back while Mokou advances to the front as part of the security precaution; the outline I spotted earlier is a LOT bigger now, though the tiny girl in there is still the same.

"Nue-chan..."

I flinch away from Byakuren, who is smiling with a dark aura. She's doing that again.

Nue notices and tries to defend herself. "Ah! Hijiri, I didn't- that was, um... that, you know, that!"

Even if you say 'that', none of us here have any idea what you mean.

"Referee! That youkai's using her powers to attack, disqualify her!" "Yeah! Disqualify her!"

"I'm not! I didn't attack physically!"

Shikieiki is quick to give her judgment. "Participant Nue has not used her ability to attack. Continue the match!"

Looks like they've finally found the loophole of not using abilities offensively. "Well now, it looks like Nue's ability has disrupted their focus, while Team Myouren is nearly finished with their snowman!"

The outline around Nue shrinks and she retreats to assist in the final touches. The other team, realizing that they can't win in building the snowman, immediately switches tactics and rushes for an attack.

"Everyone~ Look out~"

"Hijiri-san, that's not being impartial, you know." Aya points out.

"Oh my! I forgot I'm supposed to- Good job, Nue-chan!"

"There she goes again." I sigh, but the snowman is already finished anyway.

"Winner: Team Myouren!"

I tap the mike to get everyone's attention. "Okay, since the barrier was destroyed, we're taking a few minutes break to repair it. Please don't forget to stay warm, have some hot drinks or something. Could I get Cirno and Tenshi to come and help?"

"That's me!"

I grab a snow shovel and walk onto the field. "Just help me to harden the snow after I pack it."

"Sure thing!"

"So what do you need from me?" Tenshi asks as she comes up.

"I think we're running a bit low on snow. Could you make some? I hear you can manipulate the weather."

"That's simple enough... if I had my sword."

I stop and look at her. "You don't have it? Why?"

"Reimu insisted that I leave it behind if I wanted to come." Tenshi lifts her hat and rubs the hair beneath it. "She didn't have to hit so hard..." She mutters.

Damn, this throws my plan off slightly. "Meh, just help me pile up the snow then."

"Mind if I help too?" A new voice asks playfully. "You've really put on such an interesting show for me."

I look up again to see a floating ghost I only met once before, after Yuuka told me to find her. She's dressed in a blue and white dress, wearing a tall blue hat. Her green eyes look down at me wickedly as her similarly colored hair moves around unnaturally.

"Mima, was it? I'd appreciate any help."

"Just leave it to me." She makes a gesture, and I step back as snow starts swirling together to build up a misshapen barrier.

"My turn!" Cirno holds out her hands and starts emitting a white energy from them.

"So I was called for nothing?" Tenshi demands

"Heh, yeah. I'm not needed either, it seems." I reply, smirking. "Why don't you go get something to drink?"

The Celestial grunts and heads for the drink stall. I take the chance to observe Mima; from what I know of her, she's supposedly some evil spirit that has taken up residence around Hakurei Shrine, though I wonder just why I haven't seen her till now.

Of course, she notices right away. "Yes, is there something?"

"Do you mind if I ask something?"

Mima's attention doesn't waver from building up the barrier for Cirno to reinforce. "Of course not, go ahead."

"Why haven't I seen you before despite coming here so many times before?"

"Because you were boring."

My jaw drops. WHAT?

"I'm joking. I was busy with some magical research, so I didn't have the time to talk to you."

I'm still in disbelief. "Not even to say hi?"

"It was some VERY important research." Mima reassures me. "All I could spare was a few looks."

"And yet you accepted immediately when Yuuka suggested you as her team member." I heft the shovel back onto my shoulder. "Suspicious..."

"Done!" Cirno interrupts us with her announcement.

"Alright, let's continue on then." I hold out my left fist to Cirno. "Good luck on your match, Cirno."

"Aye'll prove that Aye'm the strongest!" She responds excitedly, and playfully punches my fist.

"FUCK!" I swear in shock, jerking my fist back against my body because of the sudden hot & cold sensation that runs through my arm. "What the hell?"

"What's wrong?" The two of them look at me curiously.

I fight through the uncomfortable tingling in my arm and extend it. The chain's gone! Where did it... huh? My eyes lock onto the silver ring that had suddenly appeared on my middle finger, and I bring my hand around to examine it more closely. A small hexagon with nothing inside, while the outside has Cirno-like wings on either side. Huh... this bears examining.

"Ikuto-! Whatcha' doing? Let's continue quickly!" Aya's voice pulls me back to reality.

"Crap. Never mind, it's nothing." I tell Mima and Cirno. "Good luck with your matches! Coming, Aya!"

This is probably another effect of completing the chain... I'm not bonded to Cirno like I am with the rest, yet I got an accessory that is definitely linked to her... Hmm. Anyway, I got something important to do right now.

I take my seat and grab the mike. "And we're ready to continue! Next up..."

I nod to Suika, and she sounds the drum three times. I wait for the crowd to quiet down before I speak again.

"Everyone! We're going to take a lunch break now! As before, please make sure to keep yourself warm. Drink or eat something hot, and try not to get wet from the snow. Thank you and have a nice meal."

As if my words broke a spell, the crowd starts to shift and mutter, moving away towards the stalls. I finally give into temptation and bring out Blaze Revive to warm up my body, letting its flames wrap around and warm my limbs.

"Ah, ah, ahh... whew... my voice is hoarse."

"You were really going at it, yelling so much." Aya points out.

"Hey, some of them are worth getting excited over- WOAH!" I stumble forward as a weight falls on my back.

"Ahh, so warm~"

"Hi-Hijiri-san! Don't DO tha-" I break into coughs. "Damn, I need a drink."

"Let's go get you one then."

Don't leave me behind after saying that! I trudge after Aya, with Byakuren still clinging onto my back. "Hijiri-san, I'm going to dispel the fire soon."

"Awww~"

"Don't 'awww' me. Wear a scarf and gloves next time." I put away the key for my wallet, and she releases me reluctantly. "That should be common sense if you're cold, right?"

"Namusan..."

I have no idea how to reply to that. "Let's just have something to eat." I change the subject.

As expected, all of the teams with people I know have easily advanced through their matches. Team Miko Doll Spark are seasoned dodgers, Eirin, Reisen and Tewi are excellent snipers, Cirno and her gang are almost cheating with the rain of snowballs they can generate, Team Flower Heaven are practically firing cannons with their power, the SDM bunch a mix of power and agility, while Team Myouren have Unzan to help.

Quite a few people come up to me while I'm eating to compliment me on my organization and commentating skills, and I can't help but feel a little proud of myself for having excelled when I've had so little past experience in those two areas.

There's still a chance to screw up... A malicious voice whispers in my mind. Fuck, of all times to go into pessimist mode.

"Hey there." Tewi pops up next to me, munching on food she bought from the oden store.

"Hey yourself. How's business?"

"Pretty alright, but could you not make it so obvious who's going to win? Less people want to bet that way -usa."

"I'll try. Can't help getting fired up with the way you guys keep dancing around. I'm sure a lot of people have gained a newfound appreciation for danmaku play."

The rabbit youkai chuckles. "Well, keep up the good work -usa."

Hearing that compliment from Tewi of all people somehow means a lot to me. "Thanks." I reply awkwardly.

"Alright, hurry up and eat -usa! The faster you eat, the faster this can continue -usa!" With those cheerful words of parting, she moves off, mingling with the crowd.

I finish slurping up the rest of my udon. Guess I'll go walk it off... maybe I can figure out just what this ring is capable of.

It's already confirmed that I can still bring out the various Keyblades without any problems, but what I want to know is how does the ring factor into this. I head behind the shrine, out of sight of the crowd, but there are people there already.

"Milady! Did you see? Did you see how I won?" Meiling asks Remilia excitedly. "I was like HIYAAA! and TAKE THIS!"

"Yes, yes... I saw it all. Including the part where you got your hat knocked off." Her mistress replies impatiently.

"Ack. I was careless..."

"Milady, I'm sorry our team wasn't perfect." Sakuya apologizes, giving Meiling a look that promises chastisement.

The vampire waves it aside. "You won, and that's what matters. And here's the organizer himself." She says, looking at me as I approach.

"Spotted you above the trees. So, what do you think?" I ask.

She smiles. "Perhaps I should ask you to organize parties for me."

I stick my tongue out sheepishly. "Ahaha... being relied on like this makes me feel less confident... By the way," I change the subject. "Aren't you going to have anything to eat?"

"Not really interested."

"But I recommend the ramen stall. Really, it's good."

"Milady! I wanna try some!" Meiling raises a hand up excitedly.

"I-If it's not too much trouble... I'd like to try some too."

WOAH! I suddenly realize that I'm standing within the range of Koakuma's aura and jump away in alarm. "Hu...huh?"

"Patchouli-sama put a barrier on me so I wouldn't affect anyone while I'm here."

I exhale in relief. "That's good then."

"Come along then, Sakuya, Meiling." Remilia walks past me, idly spinning her umbrella.

"Don't eat too much, or else you'll affect your performance during the matches later." I remind Meiling.

"Sure-"

"No need to worry about her. Her stomach won't be affected so easily." Sakuya comments as she follows her mistress.

"Sakuya-sa~n!" The gate guard complains, but continues walking nonetheless.

Koakuma bows to me hastily and jogs after the rest of the SDM bunch, leaving me alone behind the shrine.

Guess I can finally try it out. I lift up my left hand, bending my hand back so I can see the ring while I pull out the key with the other. Future Gazer.

Sure enough, Future Gazer's symbol appears on the ring as the Keyblade forms in my grip, confirming my suspicion that the ring is functioning the same way as the wrist chain originally did. Further testing proves that the switching hasn't been impaired in any way.

So just what is different now? I tuck away the key and examine the ring. It's a snug fit; not uncomfortable, but I'm not going to be able to get this over my finger joint even with oil. Looks like I'm stuck with it... unless I break it or something, but considering that Youmu's swords can't cut my Keyblades, I'm willing to bet that it'd probably be impossible to try. Maybe there's a Keyblade or something...

"But it's not like I can just snap my fingers and-" I fall silent as my left hand suddenly flushes with heat after I snapped my fingers.

Something solid appears and grows in the palm of my hand, expanding so quickly that by the time I realize what's happening, a fully formed blade of ice is in my grip. I utter another profanity and release it on reflex, and the weapon falls into the ground, nicking my boot.

"What the..." I reach out and touch the blue katana with my right hand. It's not cold... but it's... solid? I glance down at the clean cut it left in my boot. Holy shit... a few cm more and I would have stabbed myself in my foot.

I test the edge; it's EXTREMELY sharp. On a whim, I pluck one of my hairs and blow it against the edge, which cuts the strand cleanly. Pulling it out of the ground with a bit of effort, I realize another characteristic I missed earlier: it has WEIGHT, unlike the Keyblades. And another additional startling thing...

It doesn't have a keychain? Does this mean... this isn't really a Keyblade, but a sword I formed out of ice? Am I turning into an ice fairy like Cirno? No wait, AM I GOING TO BECOME STUPID LIKE CIRNO? A 9? ...okay, now I'm just being ridiculous.

I swing it around carefully; after using a weightless Keyblade all this while, it's a strange sensation to feel something dragging down my hand even when I train with an actual practice sword. Besides, I have NO intention of making a mistake and cutting off my own leg.

Ready... stab! Dig down and out, horizontal cut! Following the motion, I go into a spin, descending down to slice the ground in an upward arc. Reverse, slash in an X-pattern, and... I swing the blade behind me, stepping forward with my right, and jump off it, CUT!

The light blue blade sinks into the snow, a thin line indicating where it landed. I tug it free, and look over the dirty length of ice. It's not a Keyblade at all... so that means... I stab it deep into the ground and walk away... the blade remains as it is even after I go out of the usual range.

Yep... so that also means... I raise my left hand.

"What are you doing, Ikuto?"

I spin around to see the three members of Team Miko Doll Spark. "Just a bit of exercise. Have you all eaten yet?"

"Yep -ze!" Marisa grins at me, pushing her hat back a little.

At the back of the group, Alice sticks her tongue out slightly and licks the tip of her finger, staring at me suggestively. I ignore it and focus on Reimu herself.

"You seem rather excited... is it because people are donating?"

Reimu's eyes suddenly glazes over and she starts muttering to herself. "So many... so many..."

Marisa sighs. "She spent the last few minutes staring at that box with a sloppy grin on her face -ze. Had to drag her away. Oi, snap out of it, Reimu!" The witch smacks her friend.

"Ow! Marisa! Uh... what just happened?" The shrine maiden looks about confusedly.

"We were walking off lunch." Alice supplies, earning herself grateful looks from me and Marisa.

"Oh. I feel like I fell asleep while walking... maybe I ate a bit too much." Reimu puts one hand on her stomach.

"Will you be okay for later?" I ask concernedly.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be ready."

"By the way... it looked like you two knew Mima. Reimu I can understand why, since Mima was hanging around here, but Marisa?"

"Oh! Mima's my teacher -ze! I haven't seen her for a while, but she taught me magic when I was young."

"And then I had to go and beat the two of you."

That explains why Marisa greeted that spirit rather warmly, while Reimu was displaying a bit of hostility. She became friends with a former enemy, but I suppose it's not so easy to do the same with the big boss? But then again... Mima's pretty much some evil spirit... it's a bit much to befriend the being who's haunting your shrine. Oh well, maybe I'll ask Mima about it when I have time.

I smile back at the trio. "Good luck then. Do your best."

"Yeah -ze!" "We will."

I walk past them and rejoin the crowd, leaving behind a small blue pedestal in the snow. As my arms swing with my gait, I notice something new. Huh... one of the six wings has turned dark. So that's another plus to my hunch. I snap my fingers again, and fling the new item down to pierce the ground. That's a second one... Am I still human?

I decide to go around and talk to Keine... she's probably with Mokou, my acting head of security. Sure enough, I find them sitting on the stairs, and join them. Without even having to say a word, Keine's hand slips into mine, warming it slightly.

"You aren't wearing any gloves, Ikuto." She observes critically.

Oops, I forgot to put them back on after touching the ice blade. "I took them off for something. But I suppose I could leave them off for a while longer..." I emphasize my meaning by squeezing back. "Anyway, what do you think of this so far?"

"Mm... if Kaguya was participating, I would have too."

"Mokou! You said you weren't fighting with her anymore!"

"Cheh. That doesn't mean I don't want to smack her sometimes..." Mokou mutters.

Guess games only go so far... "You could always have your own snowball fight at Eientei." I point out, and receive an elbow jab.

"Don't you encourage her, Ikuto! And yes, you're doing very well so far."

"Heh, you saw through me again. Thanks, Keine." Always nice to get some reassurance.

"Wha... Mmm! Haa... don't surprise me like that all the time..."

"Haa... show some restraint, you two."

"Yeah, yeah... sheesh."

"Enjoying yourselves, Suika, Komachi?" I ask, sitting next to the pair. "Wait, where's Shi- your boss, Komachi?"

"Huh?" Komachi looks around. "Uh oh..."

I facepalm. "She's not off lecturing someone, is she?"

"Haha..." My friend laughs sheepishly. "I think she just went for some food..."

"Then why do I feel so uneasy..." I mutter to myself. "Suika?"

"Heh, I'm having fun." My oni lover slurs, and indicates the crowd with a wave of her arm. "This is one really fun party you've made, Ikuto~"

I look out over the crowd. "Even if you're not exactly mingling with them?"

"Nyahaha... but you know," She holds up a finger, "Unlike me who has to use an ability to bring people together, you did this without any special power at all."

"It's just hard work, that's all."

Suika smiles at me warmly. "I'm sure someone like you could bring the oni out from underground given enough planning time."

I chuckle and put an arm around her. "Flatterer."

"Ahem." Komachi clears her throat delicately. "What about me?"

"Umm... what? You aren't enjoying this?" I ask, confused.

"Idiot." Suika chuckles, and crawls over to my other side, making space for Komachi to sidle up next to me and hug my arm.

"This way is much better."

I totally agree. Anyway... "How long more do we have?"

"Ayaya~ Shutter chance!"

Before I can react, Aya suddenly pops up and takes a picture of the three of us. Stunned, I watch as she tilts her head at us, then snaps off a few more.

"Wha- hey!"

"Oh come on, I'm just going around taking pictures of those who're helping out in this event." Aya replies innocently, her wings flapping slowly to keep her aloft. "It's for my article later."

Hearing her say that reminds me. "Oh yeah, but shouldn't you be taking pictures of the matches in that case?"

"So far there hasn't been any interesting ones. But don't worry, my camera is always ready!"

"Nyaha! Hey hey, take one more of us, 'kay?" Suika pulls me down so my face is near hers and she makes a peace sign.

"Hey, oi!"

"I'll do this then!" Komachi flops across my lap, lying on her side with one hand propping up her head.

"Ohh! This is much better! Smile, Ikuto!"

I sigh in resignation, and smile for the photo. After all, I AM enjoying myself, so I don't have to force one.

"Just remember to give me a print of that photo later." I tell Aya, and hop down from the roof, bending my legs to absorb the shock when I land. "Ggh... alright girls, let's get on with this show!"

Hearing the crowd cheer when we resume actually makes me feel a bit proud of myself; this is something I accomplished. Maybe I did it only with everyone's help, but surely it's okay for me to feel this way for a while? I wanted to be the start of something like this, and now I am.

"Ikuto, are you okay?" Byakuren asks.

"Huh? Oh yeah, let's, GET, ON WITH IT!" I exclaim into the mike, and the crowd cheers once again.

The further we go, the more exciting the matches become. But despite all the excitement in Aya's commentating, I notice that she has yet to take a picture. Hmm... maybe she has a different definition of what is exciting? My attention is drawn back to the field, where the latest matchup is starting. Oh boy, I've been waiting for this. Two teams I know duking it out with each other.

"Next up! We have The Three Fairies versus Team Flower Heaven! Let's see who's the one to choose first!"

"Star! Go for it!"

"Leave it to me, the Celestial!"

The two players match up, and the result is decided. "Okay, Star, which one do you choose? The box or the wheel?"

"The box!"

"Okay, here you go." I hold it out to her, and she draws out a six. "Six hits till knockout! Next, Tenshi, if you please..."

As Tenshi spins the wheel, I think back to the previous matches... we've had quite a few 'Team Leader' and 'Straight Game', two or three 'Capture the Flag'... I chuckle when I recall how the team opposing Eientei was stunned when their flag suddenly sank into the ground, courtesy of a burrowing Tewi, about five 'Build a Snowman', and a few of the remaining ones... except... I blink when I see the wheel stop, the pointer on the very narrow bright red section. Oh boy...

"Umm... Ikuto, what's that one?" Byakuren asks.

"Ah... er..." I don't believe this...

"Let's see, let's see..." Aya approaches the wheel and reads the text on that section. "'Total Annihilation?' What's this one?"

"Uh... ahem! I'll explain right now..." I take a deep breath and look around. "Could those in charge of the barrier please double check it while I do? Thank you. You see... in 'Total Annihilation'... the initial rule of required hits is ignored... you keep throwing... until your opponent admits defeat or can't continue."

The crowd is silent for a while... then cries of shock reverberate through the air as the meaning of what I said finally sinks in. Well, that's to be expected... sounds like the majority of them are looking forward to this all-out battle. The Three Fairies are giving their opponents nervous looks, and it's obvious why. I don't know about Mima, but Tenshi and Yuuka have already displayed heavy firepower...

"Uh... well, let's just start and get it over with..." I mumble into the mike, and a few uneasy chuckles of agreement can be heard from the crowd.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN GET IT OVER WI-" *BOOM*

"Ow. I suggest paying attention..." I point out delicately.

"Sunny! Are you okay?"

"Ayayaya... it appears we have our first casualty already, folks! Team Flower Heaven is preparing ammunition; looks like a heavy assault is imminent!"

"Oh dear... this doesn't look good..."

Three... two... one... I count down silently, and watch as Yuuka and Tenshi come out from behind their barrier and start chucking... meteors would be an apt description... at the opposing team, blasting right through the wall of packed snow and pelting the unfortunate fairies. After five seconds of that, I look away and wait for Shikieiki to announce the end of the match.

"Winner: Team Flower Heaven!"

I chuckle uncomfortably. "Okay, seems like that's finally over. Out of curiosity, how many of you think that this item should be removed? Since there's such a high potential risk and all..."

"Actually, I think it's really interesting." Someone in the crowd calls out.

"Anyone else share his sentiments?" I ask, and get more voices of approval in reply. "Well, for better or for worse, I'll leave that on the wheel." Is it me or did those cheers sound a tad sadistic?

"We're having another break, folks! Have to repair the wall again!"

Once more, I trudge out with Cirno to fix up the thing. Man, I hope this doesn't happen too often.

"Awwwwright! Next up, let's see the battle between the members of Team Myouren, versus the members from Eientei!"

The two teams assemble on the field, and almost immediately, the atmosphere turns heavy. Woah, what's the reason for this oppressive air?

"So... what do you eat to get those udders?" Nue asks spitefully.

"Ufufufu..." Eirin chuckles, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. "Would you like to know, little girl?"

"Master, please stop that..."

"Nue, you really should stop that..."

Despite that, the other two Myouren members are giving Eirin's chest envious looks too. Just how much of a size complex do the people here have? I spent a few moments watching Nue's death glares bounce off Eirin's soft... "Ah... let's get on with it. Janken players?"

"Reisen, take care of it. Tewi, your turn comes next." Eirin orders, and her two teammates nod.

Nue walks forward. "I'll take that rabbit on..."

"Jan!"

"Ken!"

"Pon!" Both of them swing their hands down, and it initially looks like Reisen's win.

But Nue's hand suddenly flickers, and the illusion dispels to reveal the real winner of that match. "Guess little miss rabbit's eyes aren't that great after all..."

"Sorry, Master." Reisen apologizes to Eirin.

"It was a possibility I expected, Udonge, so don't worry."

"Team Myouren has won the right to decide! So, box or wheel?" Aya covers for me.

"I pick the box!"

"Yes yes! Here you go!"

Hmm, if Eirin's using Tewi, it can be assumed that whichever choice Eientei gets, they'll have the best possible outcome. I suppose this can be considered as taking the safer route; if Nue had picked the wheel, there would still be a chance they would roll a disadvantageous objective.

"And it's a... THREE!"

I wince at the volume Aya is using. "Aya-san, keep it down a little."

"Ahahaha... sorry. Next, can we have the member from Eientei spin the wheel!"

"Tewi."

"On it!" Grinning, the rabbit youkai reaches out and slaps her compatriot's butt, making her yelp.

"What was that for!" Reisen demands, but heads over to spin the wheel to determine the secondary objective.

"Aaaaaaand..." Aya squints as the wheel grinds to a halt. "That's another 'Team Leader', folks! Taking out the leader means an instant win!"

"Teams to your respective sides!" Komachi calls out unexpectedly. "What?" She protests when Shikieiki glares at her. "I just wanted to try saying it!"

Shikieiki shakes her head and focuses back on the field. "And... START!"

Both teams duck behind their barriers, probably making snowballs right away, clearly understanding the need for ammunition. The first to move is Nazrin, slipping out from the left side with one snowball in each hand.

"Nazrin is going for a quick attack! What do you think of that, Ikuto?"

Aya's getting quite fired up... "It's a very risky strategy, since it takes three hits before an out is declared. But as pre-emptive attacks go, it might work."

"Optimism is good." Byakuren adds.

Reisen suddenly darts out... all six of her, flinging six snowballs at Nazrin. The mouse youkai twists to her side, slipping between them as the five illusions fade, revealing the real Reisen somersaulting downwards near the edge of the border.

"There!" Nazrin flings one of her snowballs at the place where Reisen is about to land.

"Ohhh! We're going to have our first hit- What!"

The reason for Aya's surprise is because Reisen had flung the other snowball with her at the border, and used it as a foothold to jump again, avoiding Nazrin's attack.

"But she still has another one!" I lean forward in my own excitement. "Woah! We finally have our first hit of the match scored!"

"Don't get distracted, Nazrin!"

Nazrin yelps when snow smacks into her side and throws off her aim, courtesy of Eirin. However, covering fire from her reinforcements prevent Eirin from firing off any more than that. Nue and Ichirin have finished building up their store of snowballs and are going on the offense now. Meanwhile, Reisen has managed to get safely behind cover, while Nazrin is beating a retreat to get more snowballs.

"Now!"

At Eirin's command, she and Reisen lean out and start chucking snowballs to beat off the invaders. Looks like Eirin has finally gotten the hang of translating bow aiming to snowball aiming; her shots would have struck head on if their targets hadn't dodged expertly.

"Stiff resistance from the Eientei team! Double hit between Reisen and Ichirin!"

"Everyone! Don't give up!"

"Hey now... Byakuren-san, please do your job properly."

"Ichirin, stay back and get Unzan to defend you!" Nazrin shouts as she finally returns.

"Understood!" The nun-like youkai backpedals, avoiding more shots from Reisen.

"Team Myouren has switched from offense to defense! Will the Eientei team take their chance to attack?" I focus my vision on Eirin. Wait, where's Tewi? It doesn't look like she's making snowballs judging from how long Eirin and Reisen take when they duck down.

"You're mine, little rabbit!" Nue pounces forward, arm pulled back to throw a snowball.

I realize it just as Nazrin does. "Nue, no!"

Reisen's smirk on her illusion alerts the bait too late, and Nue crashes through the snow with a yelp of surprise. Immediately, Tewi pops up from under the snow with two handfuls of snow, flinging them to smack Nue in the face.

"Kyah!"

"Oooh, nice trap maneuver! Participant Nue has received two hits!" I glance questioningly at Shikieiki, who nods in confirmation.

"Thanks Tewi! This makes three!" The real Reisen flips over her friend, poised to get the first knockout.

"Like I'll let you! Go, Unzan!"

"The team leader has come to protect her members! Go, Ichirin! Fight, Nue-chan!"

"That's the first giant snowball that wasn't made by our resident ice fairy! But what's this? She's not retreating!"

Unzan had flung a human-sized clump of snow at Reisen, but she didn't dodge, choosing instead to take the heavy blow in exchange for adding a third load of snow onto Nue's head.

"OUT! ...I wanted to say that too. Ehehe..."

"Aaaah! WHYYYY!" Nue bawls, suddenly taking to the air and flying away amidst loud cheering and applause, her outline blurring and fading into the gray afternoon sky.

"Oh dear..." Byakuren puts one hand to her face, looking after the small youkai.

"That was an amazing act of teamwork by our two rabbit inhabitants! As it is, Team Myouren is down to two members! By the way... do you want to go after her?"

"Nue-chan will be fine, I'm sure. She'll just sulk somewhere for a while and come back soon enough."

I look at where Reimu and Marisa are and see them nod in agreement. "Okay then, if you say so." How do those two know about that anyway?

"Hey hey! Focus on the match instead, you two!" Aya snaps at us, her camera raised.

Looks like someone's got pictures. "Whoops. You're right! So, Team Myouren is outnumbered right now... but they're still handling themselves quite well!"

Eirin makes a face as she brushes snow off her sleeve; she had gotten hit by a glancing shot by Nazrin while avoiding another one of Unzan's heavy shots. On the other hand, Tewi and Reisen are trying their best to harass Ichirin, keeping Unzan focused on defending as they dart around scooping up snow to maintain a continuous assault. But they too suffered hits from Nazrin, courtesy of Ichirin's signal to the mouse youkai whenever the rabbits were off-balance. The entire thing is comparable to one of those situations where everybody has a gun trained on each other... except the bullets are nonlethal.

"That makes two hits on Nazrin, Reisen and Tewi while Eirin and Ichirin both have one hit on them! Things are looking bad for Team Myouren!"

"NOW!" Eirin shouts.

Even at this distance, I can see Ichirin's eyes widen as her two opponents break off to go for Nazrin. "NAZRIN, BEHIND YOU!"

"Wha-? Kuh!" Her friend spins around, and grimaces when she realizes just what is happening.

The gray-haired youkai cuts to the left, in response to the direction Reisen is taking, while holding Tewi off with two shots. She ducks to avoid another one of Eirin's snipes, but makes the mistake of flinching when the real Reisen fades into view, having ran in the opposite direction of the illusion, giving the lunar rabbit the opening needed to hit her in the hip.

"OUT!"

"Team Myouren is down to-"

"LOOK OUT!"

"KYA!"

Tewi suddenly tackles Reisen, shoving her down onto the snow moments before another one of Unzan's shots crashes into Tewi, flinging the small figure against her team's snow wall. Shikieiki calls another out, making it two-one in the Eientei's team favor.

"Tewi? TEWI!"

"Udonge! Get up, quick!"

"Y-Yes, Master! WOAH!" She barely avoids another giant shot, but somehow manages to get behind cover.

"That was an eye-for-an-eye exchange! Reisen took out Nazrin, but Ichirin removes Tewi from the game in response!"

"That was a nice shot of the rabbit getting hit by the giant snowball! Hmm, it's hard to say which team is at the advantage here..."

Tewi limps off the field with Nazrin following, making for the hot drinks stall with the crowd parting before her. "You better win this one, Reisen!" I hear her mutter as she passes out of the border.

"I will!"

"It has been four minutes already, and only one member of Team Myouren is left! Will the remaining member be able to score a win on her own? What do you think, Aya-san?"

"Actually, it's still a two-on-two, I believe. But it does look difficult for her." Aya agrees.

"Don't give up, Ichirin-!"

Reisen is running in circles around Ichirin and Unzan, leaving afterimages like some ninja, while Eirin stays back to observe and make more snowballs. No opening... this looks like it'll be a tough problem to solve.

"Udonge! Attack!"

"And the attack is starting! How will they overcome the defenses?"

"Yes, Master!" Reisen starts flinging handful after handful of snow, bending down as she continues to run to scoop up the next.

"It's useless, you won't be able to hit me." Ichirin says calmly. "Give up and admit your- KYA!" She suddenly squeaks as snow splatters on top of her head.

From the air, Reisen flips down to land back on the ground, but Unzan doesn't take the opportunity to attack, fluttering worriedly around Ichirin instead.

"She found the hole in the defenses so quickly! From above!"

"My my my... you really need to be more careful, Ichirin." Byakuren chides. "And you too, Unzan."

"WAH!" The remaining member of Team Myouren shrieks once more as snow smacks into her front, courtesy of Eirin.

"OUT!" Shikieiki announces with one of her punishment boards raised, ignoring the unconscious Komachi at her feet.

Did she smack Komachi in the head to keep her from stealing her thunder? Man, that's funny. "And the outcome has been decided! The Eientei team wins!"

The crowd cheers and applaud, as Ichirin wipes the snow off her clothes and shakes hands with Eirin. I can't hear what they're saying over the crowd, but they're probably complimenting each other for putting up a good fight.

Looking at the tournament matchups as Suika updates them, it appears that the semi-final matches will be between people I know. Reimu's and Sakuya's teams only need to win one more match before they will get to face each other, while Eirin's team will have to face off against Yuuka's for that right. As for Cirno's team, they've been barely managing to pull through each time, but if they do win, it's going to be Winter versus Summer.

That match sounds like it'd be interesting. "And next up, we have the team led by the elegant maid, Sakuya Izayoi! Presenting... Team Scarlet!" Things are coming to a climax...

To be honest, after I finished writing the first two matches, I realized that it might sound quite implausible to gather people around just to hold and watch a snowball fight. But by then, it was already too late... Well, I hope I did a good job of writing it up, because I was seriously lacking the motivation to complete this. RANDOMNESS FTW! Still, TWO WEEKS... sigh...

So, the remaining teams are Reimu's, Sakuya's, Eirin's, Yuuka's, and Cirno's. One more will get knocked out before the semi-final begins, but it's quite obvious which one it's going to be. Can you just imagine the intense battle between Letty and Yuuka on Letty's territory? It's going to be utterly awesome... I hope.

On the other hand, I'm going to be REALLY distracted from writing for a while, since I've reawakened my interest in playing Visual Novels, and that is even more of a time-consumer than anything else, on top of my studies and stuff. Once again, I must repeat... school sucks, but at least other stuff is making life bearable. On a side note... I've recently developed an interest in the yukkuri culture of Touhou. So... abyusable...

Anyway, back to the topic of Ikuto. The effect of completing his chain has somehow copied a fraction of Cirno's ice powers, so now he has the ability to form blades of ice. But there are limits... and bonuses...

I've finally wrote Mima in... how many of you expected Yuuka's third team member to be her, I wonder...? But of course, I'm not going to keep her in all the way... after this, she'll be off doing... what evil spirits like her do...

Gaaah... so many ideas, but all of them are placed far into the future of this storyline!