Much like in Imperishable Night, Stage 4 of Subterranean Animism is where your initial character choice comes back to bite you. Not saying that the abilities will be detrimental, I mean, if you made it this far, you have a grasp on how to use the partner's power. Thing is, which team you chose at the beginning of IN only decided which boss you would face, Reimu or Marisa. Here for SA, it's a bit more complicated. No, Stage 4 sees Satori Komeiji take you on. As stated earlier, she can read minds. And since your character has their partner in their ear throughout this adventure, that partner is on their mind.

I think you know where this is going.

Save for her opening card, which is her own design, Satori's spell cards are revisions of that partner's spell cards. Respectively to who is their support, Reimu will have to take on Yukari, Suika, or Aya's spell cards, while Marisa takes on Patchouli, Alice, or Nitori's spell cards. The different varieties across the difficulty levels, across the different partners, gives Satori Seventy-Six possible different spell cards in SA alone, the most any single Touhou character has in a single game in the series history, even to this day. She even beats out characters who pull double boss duty in a game. This also gives you more variety in the subsequent replays, challenging you to capture more cards at her fight.

Thing is, now? She has access to more than just Reimu, Marisa, and their partners, doesn't she? On the gaming side of this, there is a mod floating around for SA, that allows Satori to use ALL her spell cards for that difficulty level. This makes her an endurance test that flies above any extra boss, especially on Lunatic...or as it's called in SA, "Oni" level. As it is in that mod, some might consider her to be harder than Yukari ever was, and she was the step above extra bosses with the only Phantasm stage in the series.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is owned by Nagaru Tanigawa. Touhou Project is owned by ZUN and Team Shanghai Alice. I own neither. This is a fan fiction of those works.

Beta Reader (and partial writer) for this episode:

Smooglii

The lunch that was offered to us by Yuugi was, in a word, spectacular. I'd not have believed they were short on food, looking at the spread of meat and... well, mostly meat that was put before us, and it didn't even occur to me to ask where it had all come from until I'd eaten my share and decided that maybe some things shouldn't be known. I mean, it seemed like a pretty hard-knock society down here, and since Yuugi was top dog, it only made sense that she'd still have plenty of perfectly ordinary food during a siege famine, right?

The only other thing that bothered me about the meal was that, despite my best efforts at scrubbing up before the meal, I still had the faint aroma of copper about my hands and forearms from all the bloody work patching everyone else up earlier. Well, everyone survived, so I couldn't complain. I wasn't sure how I'd be able to take it if I had someone's blood on me after they died. Didn't even want to consider it.

Being such a late lunch - well past three going on four according to my phone's clock - along with a chance to rest my legs made it all the more satisfying, and I was loath to get up and start walking again. Alas, it didn't take long after we'd finished the meal for Yuugi to announce, after a short discussion with our mission control through the yin-yang orb, that she would now show us the way to the Palace of the Earth Spirits. As it turned out, it was more like an escort - we were getting some looks from the various youkai down here, but no one dared start anything with Yuugi around. The oni only had to give a raised eyebrow to the few who dared to approach us, and they backed off without a fuss. The further we went, the more it seemed like word was spreading about us, as the number of gawkers increased, but the number of would-be troublemakers dwindled. People were even moving out of the way for us on the roads. Man. Of all the things I might've experienced down here, "living like a celebrity" wasn't one I'd have guessed.

Even if my body had a chance to rest, I was starting to feel the strain on my mind. For all my physical training, it was almost comforting that I still felt so worn out, like now I could tell it was a real incident. Putting my hands in my pockets, I let out one long, silent sigh, not wanting to bother the girls around me. I mean, after all, they appeared to be having a good time.

Yuugi was laughing it up with our more talkative members, and I'm pretty sure I heard Marisa making plans to go drinking with her. You'd almost think we weren't on the verge of an apocalypse, or that we didn't have a horde of mindless killing machines outside the city walls, or that we even faced them outside not even an hour earlier. I envied everyone's ability to casually adapt to all this. That's not to say it wasn't appreciated - if anyone else was as tense as I was, it would have made this all the worse for me. Sanae seemed as grateful as I was for the casual mood, taking Marisa's chattiness as her cue to put some of the group between her and the oni. Taking my eyes off our Gensokyo crew, I could almost feel the shift in mood when I laid them on the youkai that lined the streets, watching us pass.

I tried to pick out what made the people of this town feel so different compared to the surface. Sure, there were different kinds of youkai down here, but after a minute, I realized that that wasn't what really set them apart from our group.

"Huh. Lot of guys down here."

"'Guys'?" repeated Reimu.

I didn't even mean to blurt that out. I let out an annoyed grunt with myself, and replied, "Nothing. It's just weird - most of the youkai I've met are girls. I think all of them except Unzan, actually..."

I felt awkward bringing that up, since it seemed to be kind of normal here. Even Seija seemed to think so, what with what she had said about the seed of non-identification - "We're in Gensokyo, so you'd expect to see a cute girl, right?" Not that I hadn't seen other male youkai - it's just that, when I went over those files about Gensokyo, almost all of the important figures were women. Seriously, even freaking Prince Shoutoku! And he was kind of famous even in my world!

I'd gotten so numb to it that, now we were surrounded by mostly male youkai while in a place connected to Gensokyo, it felt a little off. I threw a diffident glance at the others, wondering if any of them thought the same.

"There're lots of male youkai." Reimu paused, apparently trying to recall how many she'd met before. "One of the first ones I exterminated was... Well, it was more like a giant yin-yang orb, actually... but it was one of those bothersome ones that changes its shape. It turned into a man, though."

I knew that some youkai could change shape, but an orb that turns into a man? That'd freak me out if I was there. In the first place, I was under the impression that a youkai's physical body doesn't mean a whole lot. I guess if they did it symbolically, it might... matter... somehow?

I looked at Koizumi for help. Apparently reading my mind, he shrugged and said, "A youkai's form is usually symbolic in some way. If a yin-yang orb turns into a man, it might be channeling the essence of yang. Or there could be a more practical reason."

Man. One of Reimu's first opponents was some big Taoist symbol? I remembered how Miko told me that Reimu's abilities were derived from Taoist practices. I didn't know enough to say one way or the other, but I wondered if there was some kind of connection there. I didn't ask about the details, though, since I knew what her first experience with youkai was, and I didn't want to distract her by making her remember more of her past.

"Oh, no, wait. It turned into a woman before that, too." Reimu was still musing about it, in spite of that. "I remember 'cause I smacked her in the face with my own orb. I was still inexperienced, so throwing it around was pretty much all I could do."

Yeah, that fight would have had me freaking out. I can never get over how much Reimu had to fight by herself back in those days. I guess Genji was around... Where is he now, anyway? Hibernating? I haven't seen him at all. Unless he's hanging out at that hot spring, he probably is hibernating, like he told me he does.

"Oh, right. Genji's a male turtle," I said aloud. I've got to stop doing that.

"Are you keeping score?" said Koizumi with an airy chuckle.

I tried to play it off with a shrug. "No... Well, I'm just wondering if it's a coincidence. You know I actually thought at first that there were no guys in Gensokyo? It really felt like that before I got to see the village, and that was a pretty long time."

"Aren't you forgetting who's responsible for these worlds? Suzumiya has some... particular tastes, doesn't she?"

Well, that's true. She would make some kind of wonderland full of cute girls in weird costumes. I glanced at Marisa, whose drinking plans with Yuugi seemed to be evolving into some kind of alcohol-driven danmaku contest with the entire underground.

"Wait," I said, staring at those two for a moment. "If I understood all that stuff about our worlds not being together or whatever, Gensokyo wasn't part of our world, right? So... The reason can't be simply explained away by saying it's about Haruhi, can it?"

Koizumi looked thoughtful for a moment. "That may be... Certainly, the existence of the Shadow Chronicle supports the idea that we as people haven't been changed into something unrecognizable. That is, if such information isn't being kept from us." His eyes gave off a dangerous glint that suggested quite clearly that he didn't believe everything we'd been told.

"So, basically, we'd need to read the Shadow Chronicle ourselves..." I mumbled as I searched for the yin-yang orb that was floating around us. "Hey, Yukari," I called. "Anything to say about this?"

[Yukari:] "Isn't danmaku pretty?"

"I..." I stared at the orb, trying to find a response to that. "I mean... I guess?"

[Yukari:] "The color of your danmaku is the color of your soul, so it's quite intimate. Even if you use someone else's spell card, you're expressing your own feelings to the other person, and receiving theirs in turn. A beautiful, creative soul can make truly amazing danmaku."

Are you changing the subject, or is that some kind of riddle? I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to figure out what she meant by that, and when I happened to look the others, I saw Reimu sporting an oddly sage expression, like she was silently agreeing with Yukari. Youmu and Sanae, who had been having their own discussion, had stopped to listen to Yukari, smiling when their eyes met mine. Everyone seemed to understand what she meant, which kind of annoyed me.

"Sure," I said. "It's interesting, but..."

[Yukari:] "You see?"

No. What's your point? Why does everyone else get this but me?!

Sanae and Tenshi each suppressed a giggle at my expense, while Youmu, Reisen, Chiyuri, and Reimu looked at me with something like pity. Mokou, Sakuya, and Mima seemed to be avoiding this conversation, carrying on with neutral expressions, and the fairies were having their own private meeting. Come on, someone help me out here!

Then, to make matters worse, Koizumi put his arm around me, which made it hard to walk, if not hard to bear. Someone else, please.

"I think what Yukari means", he whispered, "Is that danmaku appeals to girls."

"Huh?" I looked at him like he was crazy. There's no way it's that simple. I mean, it can't be, right? This can't simply be something 'for girls', right?

"Japan has a lot of female artists, doesn't it? Many men as well, but you'd be more likely to have female contacts as an artist than, say, a farmer. Most of the people we've met are danmaku users - and given that youkai are spiritual beings, doesn't it make sense that the majority of danmaku users would be the fairer sex?"

No, that can't be it, right? It can't be explained away this easily, right? ...Right?

"Oh yeah," Reimu piped up again. "Most of the male youkai I've fought didn't use danmaku. Mostly just cheap tricks and illusions, and maybe some low-level stuff. All the guys I know can't be bothered to learn how danmaku works... Well, except you." She eyed Koizumi.

"They probably have trouble expressing themselves," he said with an effeminate smile.

Who has trouble expressing himself, Mister Smiling Secret Agent? At least I'm honest when something bothers me.

He had a point, though. Koizumi was a weird guy, but he was a lot less stoic than I was despite his false persona. That was probably why girls seemed to like him so much. Mokou looked particularly disinterested in this discussion of femininity, instead keeping her focus on a new pack of smokes she'd procured from the marketplace, so she wasn't going to offer any clues about that.

"It's that simple, huh?" I said, even though I was internally struggling against it. But... it's an easy answer. Could it really just be like that?

"Could be. The girls in Gensokyo seem more rambunctious than the men, if you'll forgive the observation."

It's more like they don't have any manners, actually...

Well, he had a point about that. Unzan seemed pretty meek for a giant cloud man, and I hadn't seen anything to suggest that that wasn't more the norm than the exception. It was weird, though. I mean, in what society in the outside world do you have to defeat girls in a physical combat sport on a regular basis for every little thing, or even just to say "hello"? Yet here it was, being boiled down to essentially the same thing as westerners wearing shoes indoors.

[Remilia:] "Hah! Guys just don't want to get beat down by us."

[Yuyuko:] "They have a lot of pride, don't they?"

[Nitori:] "There are some guys back at the shop in the Ravine. They're kinda... you know?"

[Aya:] "Oh, yes. Lord Tenma and the Great Tengu are the same way. Not that I write gossip, but it's like... you know?"

No, I don't know. When did this conversation turn into "girl talk," anyway? I kind of wondered what Unzan would say about all this. If he even spoke - he didn't say a word to us earlier. As the girls launched into a topic that I had no hope of following, Koizumi finally took his arm off me.

"I'm kind of overwhelmed," I said. "I mean, by how much there is to this danmaku stuff. Even after all this time, I keep learning new things."

Koizumi walked alongside me, still way too close for comfort. "Oh?"

"Yeah - Sometimes, it just looks like the strongest person wins, and strength is determined by what you are. Sanae had the power to beat Yuugi because she's a god... but then there are Reimu and Marisa, and... others... who aren't like that. When I watch Reimu fight, it's like a contest of raw skill. Even if she doesn't know what she's up against, she handles it. And just now, Yukari was talking about how danmaku is about expressing yourself, which is something I don't know if I can even comprehend. Even Nagato took to this stuff easily."

"Everyone has their own way to win," said Koizumi.

"I guess. It just..." I struggled to find the words for what I wanted to say. I didn't even really want to say it - I felt awkward about it, especially since Koizumi gave me a knowing smile after I failed to continue my sentence.

"Are you questioning how prepared you really are?"

"...Yeah." He hit the nail on the head. It was weird how easily he could understand what I was feeling. He did say that he couldn't read minds a long time ago... "I mean, I'm prepared. I trained my body, my reflexes, and I've got all this magic stuff. Everyone else has helped me out." I wasn't sure what my point was - I just felt like there was a point to make, somewhere. I think everything that had happened recently had me rattled, so I wasn't thinking clearly.

"Their efforts weren't wasted. You did well against the enemy back before the city. Astonishingly well, actually."

He must have meant the fight against Clownpiece. Sorry - Alternate Clownpiece. It surprised me I was able to come out of that, too, even though I had help. "I mean, yeah. But after what Yukari said, it's like... There's a whole dimension I'm not seeing. You know?"

I tried to find a better way to say that. How to put into words that Koizumi could understand exactly what bothered me about what she told me. Koizumi stayed silent, giving me time to think as we marched through the streets of the former capital of Hell.

I can use the spells I have with me, sure, but even making a simple one is beyond me. Icicle Fall and Asakura are more like tools to me than some kind of art. Yukari talked about how you "receive your opponent's feelings," but all I see is a bunch of magic lights that hurt you in patterns. If understanding your enemy is the key to victory, like Reimu told me...

"I guess what I'm saying is... I thought the reason you could use spell cards right away was because you were an esper. You had some special knowledge or something, and I couldn't understand because I was normal. But now, I feel like it's more because I'm not seeing something that's right in front of my face."

He said Reimu and Yukari had taught him to use danmaku, didn't he? It wasn't just his special powers - and even Marisa, who's as ordinary as I am, can use danmaku. Even if actually using it is too hard for me, just knowing the basics of how it works would have been a huge boon for fighting against it. It's not that I didn't try to understand, but... What's my excuse, really? Only that I didn't realize there was so much more to it than I thought.

Koizumi gave me another moment, then interjected. "It's natural to have anxiety over this situation. It's true - danmaku is more art than science, and I was able to draw up my own spell cards precisely because I understood that from the beginning. Must have been all the theater." He laughed at his own joke. "Still, I don't think you're as far behind as you believe. You've been able to express yourself through danmaku before, even if that wasn't strictly your intention."

I mean, I guess. Taking someone down with Icicle Fall makes some kind of statement, that's for sure.

...Maybe he's right. I mean, the Icicle Fall is... situational, you could say. Every time I used it, it was in a way that worked despite its weakness. Isn't that like me? Give me the right situation and I'll change the world. Otherwise I'm out of my element, and, yes, maybe I am Tuxedo Mask. More of a liability when I'm not in my element. And I guess the Asakura spell card is my dependence on my friends?

Though even after all this time, I don't think I'll ever let myself classify Asakura as a "friend".

"Think of it like this," he continued, despite my thoughts. "Miss Kochiya did not pass Miss Hoshiguma's test because she is a god - she passed because she understood herself and what she was capable of. She understood Miss Hoshiguma's desires, and met her head-on, with all the bravery and cunning that was expected of her. Of course, your suggestion to use Tenshi's power to bring out Mima's temperament was clever, and it allowed her to do that in the first place - a lot goes into a victory, but you'd be surprised how much is up to nothing more than one's character. Especially in danmaku, where beauty and character can translate directly into power."

That's a hard concept to think about, but I can kind of see it. She did look pretty cool at the end there. I still maintain that she gets points off for holding that pose for too long. I grunted, still not sure if I understood. Maybe danmaku really is a girl thing.

"If the outcome of this relies on me embracing my feminine side, this whole expedition might be doomed," I said sarcastically. Koizumi laughed out loud at that - a rare genuine laugh that left me feeling embarrassed for even having brought it up.

"You two think way too much about obvious stuff." Tenshi's voice sounded behind me, and I felt a weighty thump on my back as she came around to the opposite side of me from Koizumi. "Y'know, Kyon, only you would complain about being the only guy in an army of girls."

"I wasn't complaining," I said, nursing my spine where she'd hit me. "Also, Koizumi's a guy."

"Yeah... I guess." She leaned forward to look past me at Koizumi like she was judging a mediocre piece of art. If Koizumi was offended, he didn't let it show. Tenshi popped back upright and wrapped her arm around me just like Koizumi had done, only hers went around my waist instead of my shoulders as she was practically half my size. "Anyway, just be honest with yourself. You like having us around, right?"

I think the more unusual thing here is that you seem to be okay with that notion. I thought this kind of thing only happened in light novels.

"Maybe if you didn't hit me so much. That hurt, you know."

Tenshi frowned, then let go of me and drifted away from us with a roll of her eyes. It was very Haruhi-like - well, it reminded me of her in high school. Not the answer she wanted, I guess, but did you really have to do that?

"I think the others might have been on to something," said Koizumi. "About men not getting danmaku..."

"I don't want to hear that from you." I shut my eyes, trying to sort through everything again. According to Yukari, the essence of danmaku is self-expression. So to win, you have to understand not only the meaning of the danmaku, but also yourself. What you want to express. Is that right so far?

I'm not sure how useful this is if I'm not using danmaku myself, but hey. All the best philosophies apply to life as well, right?

"Well," I said, "Not that you're wrong here. I'm probably too dense to understand it fully, but I think I get what you're saying, more or less."

Hearing that made Koizumi grin. "So?" he asked. He looked into my eyes expectantly.

...What? You want me to do something?

I looked out to the side, where Tenshi had gone. When I turned back to Koizumi, he gestured in her direction.

...Right. I guess that would be... practice. I did kind of blow her off just now. I'm so used to people not caring when I do that, it's kind of become a reflex.

I didn't really have anything to hide, so why not express myself? Maybe I'd learn something. Right? If someone like Nagato before she 'evolved' could create a spell card, then I should be able to express myself as well.

Ugh. Here goes nothing.

I sped up my walk, coming up behind Tenshi, who had joined Youmu and Sanae in talking about... Food? I couldn't make everything out, but it sounded like Sanae had somehow gotten Youmu on some kind of rant about how the meat that Yuugi had shared with us was leagues ahead of the food in the Netherworld ("There's no body to it!"), causing Tenshi to interject with her own complaints about Bhavaagra's own lack of culinary variety.

"Hey, Tenshi," I said, nudging her in the back. Gently, of course. I didn't particularly want her nudging back.

"Yeah?" She turned her eyes on me, giving me a bored stare. Sanae and Youmu leaned forward to look, curious at what I was doing. I started to feel self-conscious, but I pushed it aside as best I could.

"Don't get me wrong. I do like being surrounded by girls."

"Mm-hmm?" she said, clearly not buying it. "Because we're the ones who can use danmaku?"

Oh, boy. This already sucks. I tucked my hands in my pockets, trying my hardest to hide my embarrassment. Of course I appreciated that - I'd have been dead a hundred times if any of these girls couldn't fight, and on top of that, I'd gotten to know them all as friends. At least, as far as my limited time allowed. Let's be real - when I tally it up, I don't think I'd even spent a full month individually with these girls. Yeah, I'd spent a week at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but beyond that, it was a smattering of maybe a few more days. I still didn't even think I'd spent a week's time total with Reimu. Regardless, while those were both pretty good reasons, they weren't the only ones, and I figured I needed to convey that in the most honest way I could.

"Nah," I said. "I mean, you're right - you are all really pretty, and-"

Wait, wait, what the hell am I saying?!

I mean, I've been admitting it. Honestly, I don't mind it, you know? For my Gensokyo excursions, I got to spend time with really pretty girls. It's not a bad thing, from my perspective, though it was something... yeah, I shouldn't have really said it aloud.

There's being expressive, and there's being stupid. I just swung my whole body into the latter, and landed face first into it.

Youmu and Sanae seemed to share my opinion on what I'd just said, because they both went beet red. Tenshi's face cracked into a grin, and she grabbed hold of me again - again, with a lot more strength than her tiny body should have been capable of - and started laughing.

Oh, oh. Oh, no.

"What the heck are you saying that for all of a sudden? Did something happen to you?" Her voice carried over the whole group, and everyone looked our way.

Please, no. I can't. I just can't.

"Kyon? What was that for?" Sanae managed to ask. She stared at me like I had arms growing out of my ears.

I heard more laughter, and spotted the yin-yang orb hovering behind us. Shoot, was that thing following me?! God dammit! This isn't going to go away!

[Nitori:] "He's gotten too familiar already..."

[Suika:] "Ha! He went for it! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

[Remilia:] "Hey, Kyon! What the hell have you been thinking about all this time?!"

Son of a bitch!

"Huh? What happened?" Marisa called from the front, finally taking notice of the rest of us.

"I think Kyon just said something weird..." I heard Reisen's voice. I wondered if she'd heard me with those long ears of hers and she was just covering.

Everyone closed in on us, curious what I'd said - except Koizumi, who I saw sneaking his way to the outside of the pack, pretending not to look at me. That devilish grin he had was sure genuine, however. I'll get you back for that. I don't care how, or what I have to do, but I'm getting you back for that.

Man. Why me? I was blushing so hard, my cheeks were starting to burn. Tenshi was finding this all too funny - and Sanae and Youmu too embarrassing - to share with everyone else, which only made them more curious.

[Eirin:] "Is this really necessary? We have a schedule to keep."

[Alice:] "Um... I appreciate the thought, I... think... but please keep focus around you, everyone."

Yes. Please do! Thank you!

"Appreciate what?" demanded Marisa.

Please, nobody tell her. I don't think I could stand her ribbing me about it for the rest of the day. I barely think I can stand the thought of Tenshi teasing me in the coming hours. It was already a tough enough day. I didn't want to die of embarrassment.

"Kind of barking up the wrong tree there, aren't you?" quipped Youmu, not facing me.

That's not what I meant! I didn't even think of that in that way!

"What's going on, ze?" Marisa looked so interested in what was said, and was getting visibly upset that nobody would tell her. "What did he say?!"

Please stop! I'm sorry!

The Meltdown of Haruhi Suzumiya

Episode 6

["The Wrath of Satori Komeiji"]

Those terrifying eyes nobody loves.

Palace of the Earth Spirits

-Stage 4, Touhou 11: Subterranean Animism

Thankfully I wasn't teased, even though I got glances from Tenshi that told me she sorely wanted to. Also nobody told Marisa what I said, so that spared me from ribbing. We were reaching the top of the 'hill', if you can call it that, of this city.

By the way, is an underground hill still a hill, or is there some specific geological name for them? I certainly don't know. Makes me wish I took geology seriously and not just as an easy class to coast through.

Anyway, regardless of what it's called, there was a noticeable incline as we approached the Gothic structure that loomed over everything, and the further up we went, the jovial attitude everyone had after that lunch was fading away with every step. Even the mood of the city appeared to change the closer we got to that thing - long gone were the happy youkai, the drinking, everything else. This shift was noticeable, and it was having an effect on us. There were too few beams of light shining down on the Palace of the Earth Spirits, so we couldn't get that good of a look at it until we got closer. Soon we were close enough to the structure to see something... odd. I heard some murmurs from the orb.

[Yukari:] "Not only is it here before it should be, it's coming right out of the Palace. Could it be that she didn't go behind Satori's back after all...?"

I stared at the orb, wondering if she'd continue, but she didn't. "The access lift? That's what you called it, right?" I peered above the building, and among the arches and towers, there was one straight structure that clashed with the rest of the building. From afar, one could have mistaken it to be some sort of tower, or metal pipe as I had, but no, it was something that looked akin to a construction site project - small cranes hanging off of it, ropes, some various parts that stuck up. On one side, there was what appeared to be your usual and expected 'skeleton' of a building - those steel girders.

[Yukari:] "Yes. One big elevator. The design is... hmm. Well, I never paid much attention to the design."

An elevator?! They want to build an easy way up, or escape from Former Hell?! In fact, that's what Reimu also shouted. The anger on her face over this was about the same she had over her shrine being totaled.

[Nitori:] "No, nothing like that. At least, maybe. It's just an old project I've heard about that was merely in talks between up here and Former Hell. So it really is gonna be complete..."

"Supposed to help us out a lot." Yuugi had her arms crossed as she stared up at it. The jovial attitude she had earlier was long gone, replaced with a serious side of her. "Y'know, for trade 'n stuff like that. We don't have everything we need down here, and farming is kinda limited with the precious little sunlight we get."

Ah, okay, that makes more sense.

[Eirin:] "You need resources. It's as simple as that."

"That..." Yuugi rubbed the back of her neck. "And it's also a trade off." She pointed to the towers. "See those?" There were what appeared to be large black cables running up and down the structure.

[Patchouli:] "Electrical wiring?!"

The oni nodded. "Power lines, to be exact. We got nuclear power down here, and it's more than we need. According to Satori, if we can just complete the lift, we can do a two way trade. Stuff comes down, and power goes up. As we are right now, as you've seen by making your way down here, it takes a long while to transport goods."

Easily took us a couple of hours, and that was when we dropped a few kilometers instead of circling that spiral. We also flew for most of that. To make that trek on foot while transporting supplies has got to take a day, easy. And that was if one didn't have to deal with cave-ins, a bucket dropper, a particularly nasty bio-hazard spider, one cranky hashihime, and God knows whatever else was in those caves. An elevator like that would certainly cut transport times down to a fraction of that, at least. Two villages would benefit if those lines went to the mountain - kappa and tengu alike would enjoy a steady supply of electricity.

[Aya:] "Lord Tenma's been talking about this project for about a century. I didn't know you guys were this far along! So it is going to affect Gensokyo!"

[Nitori:] "Hey, you need to get us kappa on that! We'll finish that job in a matter of months no problem!"

[Yukari:] "I didn't foresee Satori having this much of it completed, but it is a thing that needs to happen between the underground and youkai mountain. It's another thing that went awry of schedule." The orb went to move in front of Reimu. "This is for youkai, okay? Just some trading amongst ourselves, and sharing of some electrical power. Of course, I'd rather we have our own power source than rely on the underground, as I don't want to be too much indebted to the Komeijis."

Ah, okay, I can see how that can be bad. This Satori could become some sort of power plant mogul. I wonder what her charge rate would be. Considering how much my dad complained about the power bill, it couldn't be any worse than what Japanese citizens are charged. Smart though - people underground need food and other goods, while the underground has a surplus of energy. Basic trade 101.

Reimu pursed her lips, as she began to bottle up her anger. "No funny business?"

[Yukari:] "Nothing more than you should be able to handle." I could almost hear the smile Yukari must have had when saying that.

At least you're truthful.

Reimu just grunted. "Youkai will still be youkai then."

I heard Tenshi chuckle. "Stairway to Heaven, and an elevator to Hell. Almost too perfect."

Yeah, I'll say. What an interesting development - that these youkai were actually far more advanced than I had initially thought. Gensokyo was seemingly stuck in some sort of Edo period, both above ground and under, yet there we had a technological wonder. Even something like this would have garnered attention in my world. It was just very sci-fi.

Upon hearing that there were oni down here, I had thought that this place would be more, uh, barbaric, for the lack of a better term. Again, the youkai surprised me. I shouldn't look down on them.

"See those pipes? The really big ones?" Yuugi nodded up to them. "Also Geothermal, and hot water. Satori's idea. She'll be able to make hot springs up there as a gift to the tengu Lord to pretty much assure the deal will go through."

That sounds totally awesome. Also, yeah, Satori is going to have a major leg up when she names her conditions. "Don't want to accept? Fine, I'll give this hot spring to someone else." That's what I would do. Already Satori sounded shrewd.

"We've been getting materials, you know, despite all the Altered out there. We even had people from topside helping out with that."

From topside? But who- It was then that I noticed that Sanae was intently staring at it with a blank stare on her face. "What's up?"

She looked at me with a quick start, "Wha...?"

"Something wrong?"

For a second, she looked like she was about to say something, but she shook her head. "Ah, no...I think..." As she looked back at it, she clenched her jaw and clenched her fist. "...Dammit..."

Reisen had noticed this reaction from the living god as well. "You know something?"

Sanae took in a slow breath, grimacing. "The gods of my shrine. They're behind this." She lowered her head. "I heard them talking about this stuff, but I didn't pay it much mind..."

What?!

I didn't even notice that Reimu had moved closer to Sanae. "...What is the Moriya shrine planning?"

"Reimu-"

The miko in red angrily stepped up to the living god. "What are they doing?!"

"They keep me in the dark for this stuff, okay? I know they were making talks about the underground, and they kept mentioning the elevator project and supplying materials, but I didn't know they were doing it now! I thought-" Sanae let out a little sigh, as I could see her whole body was tense. "I thought they were talking about what they were going to do after this incident! I didn't know they were coming down here!" Sanae walked past Reimu, closer to the tower. "I didn't know they were already making that!"

Reimu was clenching her teeth, putting her hand to her forehead. "...The Moriya shrine wants to control the electricity in Gensokyo..."

You've got to be kidding me. I was about to ask Sanae if this was true, but her lowered head answered that for me. Jeez... the Moriya shrine would then gain the upper hand against the Hakurei shrine. It'll become a major focal point for Gensokyo. I looked to the orb, expecting an answer. When there was silence - "Yukari? What's going on?"

[Yukari:] "...The Moriya shrine's gods have been coming down here."

This is going to get bad.

I swear Reimu looked ready to explode, until Sanae turned around, the anger on her face matching the other miko. "No. You don't get to be angry at me. I'm angry too! They knew I was coming down here and they didn't tell me a thing!" Sanae pursed her lips again, and looked to the Palace. "You know what? Don't believe me? Then let's get in there and ask that Satori, okay? She'll tell you if I'm lying or not! But I had nothing to do with this! I want to earn your trust, Reimu!"

We were all silent, waiting on Reimu to say something. She was slightly shaking from anger, keeping her eyes closed.

Koizumi looked to the orb. "Is there anything else we should know about this, Yukari? Before we continue? What else did the Moriya shrine do for this incident? You said it was the catalyst for these inci-" Koizumi's eyes widened, as he realized something

There was an even further stretch of silence coming from the orb, and it was unnerving. I began to realize it too, what it could possibly mean.

"Yukari, if you can, please don't hold back for us."

Once again, another pause from the orb.

[Yukari:] "Kanako Yasaka and Suwako Moriya are the ones responsible for giving Utsuho Reiuji her power."

You're kidding me. For a second, I brought both of my hands over my face, but then I moved in between Sanae and Reimu. I looked back to Sanae, and her surprise was telling. "You didn't-"

She vigorously shook her head. "They didn't tell me a damn thing about this! I thought that they trusted me with their plans! I mean, they knew I was going into this incident, an incident underground, and I thought that if they had a hand in something underground they'd tell me! Why else would they let me?!"

I turned my head to Reimu, and the miko had moved, right to me. The death glare she was giving went through me right to Sanae.

[Alice:] "Hey, hey, can we not do this?!"

"Kyon. Move."

I gulped, but stood my ground. "No."

"Move."

"You're not thinking clearly."

"Out of my way or I'm kicking you."

"I'm still not moving."

"I swear I'll do it."

"You'll have to kill me."

"I'll knock you out."

"Doesn't matter you'll have to kill me."

Reimu's eyes went right to mine, burning right at my very soul. "Kyon-"

"Listen to her! Actually listen to her! She says she didn't know! Right, Sanae?"

"I had no hand in this, Reimu!"

"Kyon-"

"Reimu, shut up and listen to your intuition!" I clenched my teeth, getting ready for when the miko would strike me. "Look past your rage, shut up, and listen to your gut!"

Reimu's grip on her gohei tightened, and she continued to stand right at me for several moments. I kept expecting to be attacked, but it never came. Reimu blinked for a few times, her tension beginning to soften. Tilting her head to look around me, the miko stared at the living god for a few seconds, before letting out a huff and turning around.

I... I just stood up to Reimu. My mouth and throat had gone dry, as that was almost as scary as when we dropped down into the earth earlier that day. With my hands shaking, I took a gulp from my canteen. I know I looked nervous, but in front of that group, it was understandable.

"Man." Yuugi smirked. "This red miko is quite forceful. No wonder you lost to her, Suika."

[Suika:] "She's very strong willed. Scary when you rile her up. I'm proud to have fought her."

[Remilia:] "Very good, Kyon. Not a lot of people want to stand up to her." The vampire chuckled. "As I expect from one of my servants."

"Kyon..." Sanae had appeared at my side, a sad smile on her face. "Thank you."

I nodded. "I mean, you said so yourself - you had nothing to do with this incident." And right now, I believe you. This wasn't some clouding of judgement on my part, at least, I hoped not. I mean, I couldn't afford to play favorites in such a situation anyway, right? I just didn't believe Sanae had any hand in making this incident happen. Like she said, if she knew about all this, why would she even come down here? Wouldn't she tell us right away?

"I didn't know that they caused this."

I nodded again. "Understandable. If you did, I doubt you would have shown up today." I turned back to Reimu. "Just... she's going after them after this is all over, you know? She's going to attack your shrine."

Sanae sighed. "...Yeah. ...They brought that onto themselves though." She let out a small grunt. "I just... I feel used now. I feel like I betrayed everyone here somehow."

"It was them, not you."

[Yukari:] "Interesting. Another facet that has changed." When I gave the orb a blank stare, the gap youkai continued. "Originally Sanae should have known, but, I suppose this is another thing that changed for our world."

That's interesting. I wonder what caused that then.

She shook her head. "Lady Suwako is family. I never expected her to keep me in the dark like this." Sanae kicked at a wooden post by the side of the road in frustration, and then began cursing when she hurt herself. She let out a stifled scream of rage over her situation. "God! I gave up my normal life for them so they could live on and they use me?!"

"Hmmm..."

As Sanae was verbally complaining about being left in the dark, Yukari frowned, not pleased by this.

"What is it?" Yuyuko was of course the first to notice the displeasure on Yukari's face.

"...Intriguing that Sanae wasn't supposed to be a god, nor that she knew about the plan."

Patchouli overheard them, and appeared deep in thought. "Perhaps... perhaps Hecatia didn't want the Moriya shrine involved?"

Yukari leaned back in her chair, her mind going over possible scenarios, but it seemed the most likely already. "Mmm...Mmm-hmm." She crossed her arms, beginning to ponder what that could mean. She stared down at the chess board, deciding to move a white pawn forward. Yes, you made a move long ago. Now I finally see one of them. Why attach Sanae to Kyon in middle school? Why take steps against her attaining god status? Why have her kept in the dark? Why have the elevator completed to this extent? That was a big move, actually. Why do that?

Another pang of worry went through her body as she stared at the white pawn. The elevator already being partly done was a huge move. But for what purpose? And why everything about the Moriya shrine?

For a second, she felt a shiver of dread, that she had already lost, but it was gone just as quick.

This wasn't meaningless. These differences between the Shadow Chronicle and the Gensokyo Chronicle aren't meaningless. They did this for a purpose. I need to figure out what for...

Yukari numbly heard the continuation of the conversation over the orb as she thought.

[Remilia:] "Then she's gonna deserve the beat down that's coming to her. You don't even have to have a yelling match with a family member on Christmas - just let Reimu at her."

Sanae let out a forced chuckle. "Ah, yes, we're gonna be yelling at each other for Christmas..." She brought her hands to her face. "Ah, I thought we were getting closer when we came to Gensokyo. I thought we'd..."

Reimu was right in front of us again, jutting her jaw to the side. I moved in between them, but Reimu slightly pushed me away. "Nah." She stepped up to Sanae, taking in a deep breath. "Nothing to do with this?"

"No. I didn't want this. If this incident claims the lives of..." She looked ready to cry, though I think that was mostly due to the pain she inflicted on herself.

Oh... Sanae...

Reimu prodded her finger to Sanae. "You're helping me take down that bird."

"I won't help you take on my family."

"I know. But you're helping me take down that bird. This is the Moriya shrine's mess, so you'd better help clean it up, as its shrine maiden."

Sanae gave a quick nod, determination forming on the living god's face. "Of course!"

"All right then." Reimu then walked past the living god and continued on her way to the Palace. After walking a few meters, she stopped, and turned to us. "Coming?"

It took all of us a moment to break us out of the shock of the drama that had unfolded before us. I didn't even have time to properly process all of that. I couldn't even imagine how Sanae must have felt - her shrine might have ended the world. And the look she had when she was about to cry... You're feeling guilty that you might have killed me. Geez. What a bombshell to put on her lap.

"Sanae?" She couldn't bring herself to look at me, and I think I knew why. "Whatever happens, I don't blame you."

"Kyon-"

"Don't. This was supposed to happen - your shrine doing this." I looked to the orb. "Right?" After getting verbal confirmation from Yukari, I continued. "Whoever is really behind this, this Hecatia, if it's her, made the incident like this. Not you. Just like how what happened with the Lunarians for their incident wasn't their fault. I don't blame them for anything that happened, for the fairies, the girl who lost her life, all that. I don't even blame them for me taking a sniper bullet to the face." Even though that was one of the scariest things to experience. I still had flashbacks sometimes when something came right for my face.

[Yuyuko:] "I still can't believe you actually did that. Standing up to bait the sniper."

Sanae blinked, and stared at me wide-eyed. "Wait what?"

"Sorry 'bout that." I heard Reisen mumble.

[Aya:] "Hold up! Nobody said anything about that when I interviewed them for that incident!"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Not important, okay?" And I don't like dwelling on it. I still consider it to be one of the dumbest things I've ever done, even though it worked and I walked away from it. "Point is, someone else is taking advantage of this for their own means, okay? Not even your gods are to blame."

Sanae had paused for a moment, as she was thinking over what I just said. It took her a while, but she appeared to accept it. "...You're right. I'm just... I'm just going to have to have a long talk with them."

We had wasted enough time. Reimu called out to us again, and we complied, continuing onward to the Palace.

"Thank you," said Sanae as she passed me. "Kyon."

Not a problem. Just in case the worst happens, I don't want you to beat yourself up over it. Don't blame yourself for the evil another person does. Especially since you're here and helping us out to clean it up.

The Palace of the Earth spirits. As we neared it, the city buildings became less populated, and there were less people on the streets. By the time we were near the iron wrought gates (and each section of this iron fence had some sort of upside-down bird design), the surrounding buildings were abandoned. The only living creatures besides us around this palace were a multitude of stray animals. Dogs, cats, I think I even saw a ferret. It was supremely unnerving.

As for the palace itself, it was a huge multi-storied example of Gothic architecture. Ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and of course, lots of stained glass. The glass had that same bird design. Just being near the building was intimidating.

[Alice:] "Whoa..."

Whoa indeed. This certainly looks like where the final level of a game could be set in. Seriously - a Gothic cathedral in Hell. Well, former, but you get the idea. That sounds absolutely metal.

"Design looks familiar." Chiyuri frowned, heavy in thought. "I swear I've seen something like this before."

[Patchouli:] "I think... I think it looks like a much larger version of St. Barbara's Cathedral."

Chiyuri snapped her fingers upon realization. "That's what it looks like!"

"Based off of its design." Yuugi grunted as she stared up at the building. She had gone from serious to just plain uncomfortable. "St. Barbara was the patron saint of miners, so Komeiji did a remodeling of the palace so it looked like it. She always did like the Gothic architecture..." It was kind of startling to see this oni be as unsettled as the rest of us.

[Kaguya:] "The design of the building... it's so beautiful."

"Yeah it's beautiful but it's also damn creepy, ze."

"Very fitting, isn't it?" Youmu gave a weak smile. "This looks like a proper place for the mastermind of an incident to reside in."

I just thought that, Youmu! But you're right - the spooky factor is up there, yeah. If I were a final boss, I'd hang out in a place like that.

[Suika:] "The Palace itself was constructed when this realm lost it's 'Hell' status and became Former Hell. So it hasn't always been here."

So, what, as a celebration or remembrance of a new era? I mean, I guess one could do this.

"Very western." Sakuya peered through the gate. "And the city itself is strictly Japanese architecture. Big clash there."

"I think that was the point," remarked Tenshi, who didn't look quite as confident. "Lording over the city and looking completely different while doing so. Makes it really stand out."

In fact none of us looked confident. This imposing structure was doing its job. Even Cirno, who usually had her mask of stupid bravado, was clearly scared, shaking and chattering her teeth. The other three fairies were holding onto each other, shaking over this building. Geez man, if the building is this intimidating, then how is the master of the house going to be?!

"I take it nobody wants to live next to her, right?" Asked Chiyuri, as she referenced all the empty buildings. She too shook from how unnatural a shift this was. The rest of the city was lively and noisy. A stark contrast to where we were - we couldn't even hear the buzz of the market. It was like we were on a whole other planet in comparison to the rest of the city, just us alone in front of this structure, with a light snow on the ground and surrounded by various stray animals.

Yuugi shook her head. "Nah. Just..." She took the time to take a swig of sake, gulping it down and finishing the bottle she had. "Just... Look. Fighting me was fun, right?" She waited on Sanae for an answer, but she didn't get one. "Well, whatever. Point is, fighting against something like me can be fun. Fighting against a satori is not enjoyable in any sense of the word, okay? Even being near one. You're right, nobody wants to live near Satori Komeiji, and with good reason. If she fights you? She's going right for your weaknesses. She's a near master at magic, and she has the means to-"

"Yukari did the homework for us, ze." Marisa peered through the iron fence. "She can recreate any spell or attack, right? As long as we remember it?"

That is the one thing I'm not looking forward to.

[Yukari:] "It's based off of your memory of the attack."

"Yakumo..." That was Mima, who looked worried for once. "Think she can do a Trinity on her own?"

[Yukari:] "Certainly possible. I believe she has the power to easily do so. There is a reason why the Komeiji family rose to power in Hell, and still retains land in Former Hell."

I again gulped, feeling my mouth run dry again. Again, no wonder you didn't lay all of the enemies on us right at the beginning. I seriously might have left while we were still topside. I was also shaking again. We're getting closer to the end. Closer to Okuu. It's going to be time for... I had thought I was mentally ready for this. No! Calm down! I'm stronger than this! I have to be! Otherwise that Satori is going to use this against me and easily put me down!

"You okay?" Koizumi had once again gotten way too close to me, but at that point, I didn't care. "You're shaking."

"Nerves, man. I'm just... nervous." I got a lot on my mind right now, and I know one possible outcome for me. The more time that passed, the more it was hitting home, as it felt like it was going to become a reality. Like I was walking slowly to the edge of a cliff and couldn't stop my body from doing so. From a kilometer away, it wouldn't seem so bad, but every step would ramp up the tension of the inevitable realization that you would soon run out of ground to step on. I had been to a future that had seen my die that very day, so it certainly was a possibility. One that I was fighting against, but still.

"Buck up there, kid." Yuugi frowned at me. "Otherwise Satori'll toss you aside like an empty bottle of sake." The oni made her way to the gate, and crushed the locking mechanism with one hand. Opening it for us, she took a few steps back away, still looking up at the Palace. "Look, I, uh... got you here like I agreed to."

[Kaguya:] "You're not scared, are you?"

"I just don't like being here more than I have to, is all." Yuugi gave us a hasty bow. "Ah, it was fun playing with you, but, uh, I gotta go." The oni then turned around and walked away, leaving us at the gate to this imposing palace.

When the oni was out of earshot, I heard Yuka scoff. "Pathetic." When I turned to her, she was shaking her head, frowning in the direction the oni left. "'We're inclusive', and they all blatantly hate a satori for being a satori." The flower youkai let out a grunt. "I had hoped that this society down here was above being like human society, but..."

Just like I'm hearing what's going on in Heaven. These other societies aren't unlike human society. Though, question - did the people there hate the Komeijis because they are satori, or did they hate them because they are in charge? Or was it both? One leading to the other? Regardless... "The society down here eats their own, what are you talking about? They were getting ready to eat you too."

Kazami crossed her arms, trying to suppress a smirk. "Point taken. I've yet to hear any accounts of cannibalism coming from Gensokyo's human village, so I guess you humans have that over us. And we don't take kindly to youkai eating other youkai either."

"Usually when someone is found eaten in the village, it's some dumbass youkai who snuck in." Mokou clicked her tongue. "Then I have to hunt them down and incinerate them. Least I can remember, nah, nobody has eaten anybody."

That's a relief, I suppose.

Reimu stepped past the gate, and turned to us, getting our attention, before taking a deep breath.

I thought she was going to say her standard "if you want to stay, you can."

But what she said was much worse.

"Got something to say, Kyon?" I eyed her, a bit horrified, before she shook her head, which I guess meant she might have heard what I said earlier. "No, not whatever you said to Tenshi. I've seen you thinking. I know what's on your mind, been on your mind since you ate." She jutted her jaw to the side, frowning, wanting me to spill it. "Either you can say it or I can."

I clenched my jaw, trying to compose myself. It was something I had been thinking about, but I didn't want to think about it. Clenching my teeth, I grunted at her. "When'd you figure it out?"

"Actually back on that hill when we were overlooking the city when we entered. I half expected you to say it by now." Reimu gritted her teeth. "I know this is sensitive, but we just got through not holding back on each other, you know?"

Nobody else said anything as the two of us stared at each other. I half expected Reimu to go ahead and say it, but she was finally showing some tact.

I still didn't want to, you know?

...How could I?

I brought my hands to my face, my palms on my temples. Maybe the pressure could force me to say it. I didn't know.

"We're going to be entering the home of a mind reader. So I can say it. You can say it. Or the satori can maybe say it, since it'll be something you're holding back. Wouldn't put it past a youkai to try to drive a wedge between all of us, you know?"

Why did Reimu have to put it that way? Frame it like that? Then again, that's the world she lives in, the types of people she deals with.

The miko silently stared at me, and I could tell she wasn't going to say it. She brought it up, but she wasn't going to. But now the rest of the group knew I was holding something back, and after everything, I had to keep their trust.

This situation still sucked though.

"...Truth is, we already know certain people who can rearrange memories, events, and the like." It didn't even feel like I said that aloud. I was just numb. Part of me was still trying to hold this back, this very bad idea that popped into my head. "Sure, it's easy for Haruhi's power or Yasumi directly to do this. But we know someone else who is capable of rearranging the world. Someone who already did so."

Several of my companions blinked, as they realized it.

"Kyon..." Youmu gulped. "You don't think-"

"It's just a possibility. A possibility that I don't want to be true, but a possibility. The idea came to me and I've been hating myself for even thinking it, even if it's possible."

"Uhh... what's going on?" The ice fairy was lost on this, as were the other three fairies.

[Remilia:] "Geez, Reimu, are you really implying this?!"

[Alice:] "It's not necessarily far-fetched, however."

[Eirin:] "Hmm. Certainly a possibility. There is precedent, true..."

Reimu just nodded. Not one of satisfaction, but of cold, hard acceptance. "There you go, Kyon. Now you're thinking like a youkai hunter."

I shook my head slowly. "I really don't want to be thinking that Nagato has anything to do with this, Reimu."

"If she did, she might not have had Clownpiece leave those cards for you. Or maybe she did, and it's an elaborate trap to make you believe she's in distress. She could be in distress, more than likely she is." Reimu shrugged. "In fact, I think she is in trouble and we're out to help her as well as save the world. But you need to be open to the possibility she has a hand in this."

I raised my voice at the miko. "I don't even want to be thinking that one of my best friends is behind this!"

She raised hers back at me. "And I don't want to be thinking that a citizen of the village would turn into a youkai! Wouldn't stop me from ending their life!" The two of us glared at each other, and it felt like if one of us made a move, the other would attack. I was really close to actually going at Reimu for what she was saying. I don't know how long we stayed like that, of us silently daring the other to attack, but Reimu was the first to break it, slowly letting out a breath, the tension in her body ebbing away. I followed suit. "Don't be blindsided, okay? My gut is saying that Nagato is in trouble. Just..." She looked to the rest of our group. "Just in case, okay? Just in case." She looked back to me. "It'd be heartbreaking, and a bad situation. And heartbreaking bad situations can get people killed."

"Kyon." That was Koizumi, but I didn't turn to him. I couldn't bring myself to look at anyone at that moment. "I told you that I promised I would help out Nagato. That hasn't changed. If she's in trouble, we'll go in and save her, okay? If she... well, if it's bad, then we'll deal with it when we get to it. But we're going to save her otherwise."

"I...I don't want to consider it."

"It had to be said."

"Doesn't make it easier to think about it." I never blamed her for it. I told her as such. From where I'm standing, I could never bring myself to hate Nagato for anything. Was it selfish of her to do what she did in December of 2003? Sure. Do I hate her for it? No. She cared enough to give me a way out, to give me a choice instead of forcing her vision of the world on me. She had all the power in the world, and she gave me the choice to reject it, and to take it away from her, even.

That required a lot of trust. I can't even fathom that. And she was sure she'd get deleted. She was surprised when I stood up for her, threatened her superiors should they ever punish her.

She was ready to die. She must have known what the punishment would be when she did what she did, yet she gave me the option to put her in a position where she would be deleted. She never counted on me to...

That... that level of trust she put in me... It still gets to me. I ask myself sometimes if I ever did anything to earn that. I essentially use her all the time, and she goes and...

She put her life, her very existence, in my hands. She had all the power in the world. She created the world as she saw fit. She. Was. God. And she gave me that power over her, ready to accept punishment for her failure if I decided I didn't like the world she created.

I seriously ask - what did I do to earn that kind of power? That level of trust? Was I even worthy of something like that from anybody, let alone Nagato?

This is tough. This is... I can't. I can't even right now.

We didn't move from there, standing in silence as I inwardly dealt with it. It was such a horrible guilty feeling for even thinking about Nagato betraying us.

That guilt was also compounded by the logical side of me, telling me that I had to consider it. The worst thing was that it was a possibility. Nagato... if... if there was something bothering you, if something made you do this, make this choice, if it actually happened... what were you unhappy with so much that you would go down this path? We were together a lot. Just... talk to me. Or maybe was I simply full of my own concerns that you didn't bother me?

After all she didn't confide in me before changing the world. And if she did drop hints I was either too stupid or too absorbed in my own bullshit to notice. That was one of the reasons why I hated thinking about it. Because she had been helping me out so much, and if she decided to do this, then she... is giving me power over her. Making sure I have power to stop it.

Nagato gave me a clue. It was to either find her and save her if she's in trouble, or to find her and stop her if she's a part of this.

I just want to go back to High School, where the only thing I had to worry about was how crazy Haruhi's plans would be for that day. I'd gladly take that over this feeling.

I shouldn't have even thought that. Put that way, and in accordance to what I just thought about earlier, it was starting to look more and more like a real possibility. So yeah, I felt guilty for thinking it. But if I was a cause... if I caused her...

I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I ever drove Nagato into such despair, or any other of my friends for that matter.

I think that's why I wanted so badly to be part of those stories, you know? Of saving people. Of being there, of...

Saving the girl kidnapped by aliens. Repelling a time traveler trying to change the future. Fighting evil spirits and demons. Having psychic battles. Me being the sidekick to the one who does the fighting as they take on evil. Suddenly gaining powers and being recruited to fight evil. Those delusions all required me saving something, or someone. That's why I'm kind of protective, because I'm still clinging to those fantasies, despite giving up on them when I entered High School. You have to admit, such stories romanticize such protective actions that you can't help but be in awe of it.

I'm a pretty bad protector, though. Half the time... who am I kidding? I couldn't stop Haruhi from abusing Asahina like 95% of the time. I couldn't prevent Nagato from her 'malfunction.' I couldn't stop Nagato from being 'infected' by Suou's interference. I couldn't prevent Asahina's kidnapping even though it happened right in front of me - I just uselessly stood there and let bad guys take away a person who was dear to me. The only reason why Haruhi was saved when we went up against Fujiwara and Suou was because of the efforts of my fellow Brigade members. If it was just me there, and me alone, Haruhi would have been killed and that would have been the end of that. Fujiwara would be laughing at me, Sasaki would be complete, and-

I didn't even realize it, but Reimu was closer to me, staring right in my eyes. I jolted, but she simply gave me a warm smile that seemed so unlike her.

"You saved Haruhi from Kuyou. You ruined Fujiwara's plans. You've certainly fought spirits and demons. You're a damn great sidekick, and that power you have is certainly appreciated by all of us. Sakuya wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for you."

I blinked, just staring at her, wondering when she'd become psychic. Was it your gut feeling to say that? If so, your intuition is really on the mark. Her smile widened, becoming even warmer.

"We're going to save her. Just... just be prepared in case, okay? But we're going to save the world and walk out of here. All of us. Gensokyo and the Brigade."

All the despair I've been feeling? It was gone. It shouldn't have been, but it was. Honestly? Honestly I felt like crying. Reimu was right. My dreams, as deluded as they were, were fulfilled.

Sensing that I was feeling better, Reimu went back to the gate. "Now, if we're done wasting time, we got a battle with a bonafide psychic... well, I think mind reading somewhat counts as being a psychic? " She scratched her head. "I dunno. Well, do I even really have to say it at this point?" She casually looked to us, and we knew the drill.

I began to low-chuckle, and didn't stop for several moments. "Reimu," I said as I shook my head. "You're something else."

Of course, none of us were backing down. It wasn't like we could leave the city anyways. We silently crossed the massive cobblestone yard, getting to a long-dried fountain in the middle, as we made our way to the entrance. Why is it so freaking quiet?! Seriously?! We're in the middle of a city of rowdy youkai - we should at least hear some buzz of civilization! The only sounds were the animals behind us making their noises and the crunch of our footsteps on the snowed cobblestone yard.

Also, nice that I'm back to being annoyed by other things. Neither the group nor anybody on the other side of the orb made a single comment about all this, which I was grateful for.

Wait for me, Nagato. I'll save you, and the world. I am not losing anybody today.

Still, instead of being in despair, I was starting to feel fear. What a trade-off.

[Remilia:] "I might have to take tips from this youkai. You should all see the looks on your faces!"

"This place is just grander than the SDM..." Youmu was in awe of the size of this palace. "Even the yard itself is the size of the SDM grounds."

[Patchouli:] "I bet she doesn't have as big a library as ours."

[Nitori:] "This construction is just awesome, man. I need to find out who did this and take tips from them."

[Eirin:] "All of you, just breathe, okay? From what I'm seeing, this is a really oppressive environment."

"With all due respect, Doctor, I think it has to do with the lack of lighting." Koizumi shone his flashlight over the building best he could. As best as one could do with a simple flashlight. "Putting light on it does reveal its beauty, but it's intimidating otherwise in this darkness."

That's got to be it. That has to be why I'm so scared. It was like everything about this was made to put fear into your heart. Whatever was doing it, it was effective.

"One good thing is that it seems we aren't being watched or about to be ambushed." Reisen had been using her scope to monitor the windows of the building. "I'm not seeing anybody."

[Remilia:] "If you were guarding, you'd be in one of those windows, huh?"

"And ready to snipe people. But I'm not seeing anyone." The soldier looked to the fairies. "Star?"

"There's a bunch of living things in the building, but they're all on the ground floor. Nobody is up in the windows." Star squinted at the building. "Ah, I can't tell if there are more inside. My range isn't infinite."

"Good." Luna looked relieved that we weren't being watched from above. "I can do without more surprises today."

"Look," Kazami grumbled. "Satori are going to be really annoying creatures, all right? I've had experience with some in the past."

"What's so bad about them, Miss Kazami?" asked Koizumi.

"They... they get on your nerves. I guess it's just the way they are, but one major thing is that they usually end up completing your sentences for you during conversations."

Yeah, that totally sounded annoying. I've been really bothered by people doing that for a few sentences, but how would I react to someone who does that for an entire conversation?

"Yeah, yeah, that's a pet peeve of mine." Mokou flicked her finished cigarette (she bought a new pack in the market) and moved on to the next one.

[Yukari:] "It really is just the way they are. You think faster than you can talk, so for a satori, they essentially hear what you're saying twice in a row. It's annoying for you when they finish your sentences and thoughts, but it's equally as annoying for them to listen to a statement twice. I've dealt with her in the past, and honestly we don't mix well."

So there were even disadvantages of being able to read minds. Actually, yeah, that can be just as annoying. Someone tells you something and then immediately you get told it again. So what is more annoying?

The reason why when people finish your sentences, more often than not, is that they're being smart-alecs about it. Yukari said that Satori can't help it. So we'd probably be more annoying for Satori than she'd be annoying to us.

And I could understand why Yukari and Satori wouldn't get along well. I don't even know what Yukari is doing and I find her frustrating. If I knew everything she was planning, who knows how I'd feel about her? Speaking of that - "You've been very open with us, Yukari. Quite direct with us. Almost don't need a mind reader."

[Yukari:] "I did make a promise I was going to be open with you all while we aren't being watched... but they haven't been watching in a while. It's honestly worrying."

"Heh." Tenshi grinned. "Maybe Kyon kicked that Clownpiece's butt so hard we scared them off?"

[Yukari:] "I could hope for such luck. Just... something's not right. Be prepared for anything, okay?"

"This is going to be really bad, isn't it?" That was Reimu, clenching her teeth. "I just put it together right now. We're pretty much gonna give this satori every single spell card in Gensokyo." We stopped at her words, our attention on the miko, who looked like she had tasted something bad. "Our collective experiences, our resolving of the incidents. Making spell cards, fighting with our friends, allies, enemies, every single spell we know and have encountered. She's going to instantly learn everything, even any prototypes we privately tried to come up with."

Uh, should I go right back into despair?

[Patchouli:] "I never thought of it that way. But that means-"

"Yes, Lady Patchouli." Sakuya grimaced. "I've seen a lot of your spells too, as well as help make some, so that means this satori will know them."

"Lady Yuyuko's spell cards." Youmu's grip on her katana tightened.

[Yuyuko:] "You helped me with every single one. You have intimate knowledge of them."

"Master and the princess..." Reisen shook her head. "Ah, man..."

So this could get really, really bad. Satori could just pick and choose the best spell cards from anyone's memories. We'll be seeing the greatest hits of Gensokyo in this upcoming fight. Satori is going to learn every single spell card of ours. Well, theirs. I didn't have any that I personally made.

"Miss Yukari, should we leave some people out here?" Koizumi showed genuine worry. "If this is a problem-"

[Yukari:] "It's one of the things I've thought about, and ultimately, I don't know. Seeing how some people involved in this incident got more powerful than they should have, it makes me wonder if the same thing happened with Satori. Sure, you might leave some out, but she might waste the ones who go in, forcing the rest to come in anyway."

And then those would probably meet the same fate as the first group.

[Suika:] "So you're sending everyone in?"

[Yukari:] "This is a difficult choice to make." I heard her sigh. "If this does go bad, we might need the entire group to even take on Satori. If outsmarting her isn't viable, then overwhelming might be the solution. Please be cautious."

[Nitori:] "What can counter a satori, exactly? I've heard a few things, but I haven't come across one myself."

[Patchouli:] "Okay, uh..." We heard the flipping of pages. "Satori... satori... Okay, a satori, as you know, is of course a mind reading youkai. In Buddhism, it's an experience of kenshou, 'seeing into one's true nature'. 'Satori' literally means 'consciousness'. They like to go up to a person and read their mind faster than their mouths can speak out their words. Like Yukari said, they'll say the thoughts faster than the human can speak."

Kazami grimaced and shook her head. "They'll really annoy you in conversations."

[Patchouli:] "Back on topic, Satori are mostly mountain youkai... some people believe they could be child reincarnations of various mountain gods who turned evil. Actually... can be somewhat peaceful. Huh." There was a pause, as whatever Patchouli was reading seemed to interest her - we could hear it in her voice. "According to this, they'll happily coexist with those who live and work on the same mountain as them. By some accounts, they make decent neighbors on said mountains. Satori have a history of being amicable to humans."

That's a relief. "So they're not all bad. Just like Yukari said about Koishi - she'll make friends with children." This could mean that this satori isn't ruthless, if that part of them carries over. Also, that's right. If Satori is anything like Koishi, then she should be relatively friendly. It's just that because she can see your darkest secrets that people don't like her. That wouldn't really be her fault now, would it? She was born this way and she's hated for it? That was just... wow.

I never thought I'd end up feeling sorry for a youkai like this.

[Patchouli:] "They're still youkai, and according to folklore they can still kill and eat humans."

And I take back feeling sorry for them.

"Weaknesses?" asked Reimu.

[Patchouli:] "Surprise. Basic, but if you can hit a satori without it seeing it coming, it'll become massively afraid and run. They're so used to knowing everything that if something disrupts that, they'll turn tail. Let's see... more info. In the Komjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, the satori are featured, but modeled after the yamako. Except that these could read the minds of people, hence the satori name applied. Ape-like in appearance, and often confused with other youkai. Notably the yamabiko - the echo youkai. Ah, okay, that's why. Misreadings gave the satori the name. That's why it got confused with various other youkai."

[Suika:] "But just like with the oni's weakness, if you give it enough belief, people will believe in it."

[Eirin:] "I see. So the confusions and the misreadings gave way to a new youkai."

"Had to be enough to make them this powerful." I looked up to the door, which we had finally reached. "Able to lord over a city like this, and you call her a near master magician?" I shook my head. "Looks like the satori did well for themselves to be able to lord over the oni that came down... here..." I whipped to the orb, the revelation of the thought that crossed my mind sending shivers through me. "Wait. That's why she's in charge here and not you oni!"

[Suika:] "Yeah... and why Yuugi doesn't want to face her."

Chiyuri figured out what I had realized. "Satori knows how to kill off an oni!"

[Yukari:] "Aha...yes. But it's not common knowledge. I ask you don't spread such information."

Geez. I was wondering why Yuugi booked it.

"Hmm..." Mima started grinning. "Maybe I should cozy up with this Satori then..."

[Suika:] "I swear I'll smack you the next time I see you."

[Aya:] "It's also her fighting abilities. She is a satori, so yes, she can read your mind. But she can only read what you're currently thinking, or so I've heard."

"Oh, so we're in the clear?" If we can clear our minds-

[Yukari:] "Sorry. She can use a subtle hypnosis to force your memories."

[Kaguya:] "So she can dig through someone's mind?"

[Suika:] "Yeah, that. That's why the Komeijis are in power, besides what you already figured out."

"Oh great." Talk about an invasion of true privacy, even more so than Yukari ever did. At least Yukari never dug through my mind.

"Ah, okay, so there might be a limit." Chiyuri pointed a finger at the orb, a small sparkle in the eyes of the female esper. "Hypothesis: if we have a fuzzy memory, or if it isn't defined enough, she'll have only that incomplete memory to work with, right?"

[Yukari:] "Correct, Miss Chiyuri." She chuckled. "I always love talking with you espers. You're so eager to experience new ideas that it's refreshing to deal with you all. Yes, those with clearer memories prove more useful to her abilities. Sure she can dig through your memories and copy an attack, but it is only based off how you remember it. That's her limit."

Chiyuri nodded, satisfied with that. "I can see the logic behind that then. So that's how it works. She can only take a spell card from our memory. If the memory is incomplete, inhibited, or otherwise unable to fully grasp a spell card's true form, then her copy of it will reflect those limitations."

"So, say, how I remember one of Nitori's spell cards, ze, that'll be how it's used?" Marisa was giving a thoughtful nod. "I get it. I can understand that."

[Nitori:] "So if I were there, she'd know how to really use my spell cards."

Put in that perspective, yeah, I can grasp that.

"Should we get drunk or something?" Mokou shrugged when we looked at her. "What? I mean, wouldn't it cloud our minds?"

[Kaguya:] "Yes, but also for the rest of the incident, you damn idiot. Now keep quiet. The adults are talking."

Mokou scowled at the orb, but those on the other side paid no mind. I mean, it was a possible way to counter, right? Though I don't like that idea. Yeah, we'd be fuzzy against Satori, but then fuzzy for the rest of the day.

[Eirin:] "Hmm. Wouldn't that mean that someone who takes meticulous notes on spell cards would be our biggest weak point?"

Marisa stopped, closing her fist for a second. "...Y'know, can you not?" But she was seriously considering it. "Though..." She rubbed her chin. "Actually, you're right. I know the spell cards of pretty much everyone with us. Made it my business to have the best notes on everything..." Marisa paused, as it appeared a flashbulb went off in her head. "Wait a sec- Countering, huh, ze?" She looked to the rest of the girls. "You all got your random shooters?"

Several of the girls blinked, before reaching into their pockets, producing their random spread shot cards.

I totally forgot we had those! All the other cards had set patterns. Not these simple ones. In all honesty, the random spread shots were pretty low level. Chaotic, yes, but not as complex as the higher tier spell cards.

"All right," Marisa nodded, smiling as we all stepped up to the door. "Those might be our best bet. We'll have to-" She dropped her smile. "...Dammit, if I start making plans, Satori will know what we're doing, ze." She waved her hand dismissively. "Just wait for the right moment when it'll be tough for her to dodge a random shooter, 'kay?"

"This means whoever faces can't use their best spell cards." Sakuya grit her teeth. "Wonderful."

"I get the feeling she'll be using our best spell cards," remarked Reisen rather dryly.

Yep. Greatest hits of Gensokyo. "If the weakness of a satori is surprise, then our best spell cards are the randoms." It's the only way I see us beating this thing.

"You have to get real close for those to even be effective. They're way too easy to avoid from even medium range, ze." Marisa clicked her tongue. "It's just that there are a lot of counters to the randoms, and I know so many in detail."

The door wasn't budging - it was locked. After all, the gate was locked too, so somebody didn't want people to get in.

Nitori began instructing Sakuya to remove something from the contraption on her back. Remember - Sakuya had the radio booster, but apparently it had something else, well, more things. An auto-lock pick, among other gadgets. What else is on that thing? Following the kappa's instructions, Sakuya went about using it on the door, the low whirring slowly leading to the tumblers of the lock being opened one by one.

As that was happening...

[Yukari:] "Right right, before I forget. There is something else that isn't in any books."

"What is it?"

[Yukari:] "Satori may be hated, but they are just loved by wordless animals. Mostly because those animals are able to be understood by satori. There is something else - pretty much any animal raised by a satori becomes a powerful youkai."

"Ah, so that probably explains all the life forces that Star is detecting." Sunny was frowning. "I was wondering why she said there were a lot of things inside."

"Pets like Okuu?" I asked, despite what the fairy said.

[Yukari:] "Yes. Just look out for those two in particular."

"Two?"

[Yukari:] "Utsuho 'Okuu' Reiuji and Rin 'Orin' Kaenbyou. They'll play a part in this incident. Okuu is a hell raven and Orin is a kasha."

Satori has a kasha for a pet?!

[Remilia:] "A 'kasha'? Isn't that one of them corpse stealing cat youkai?"

[Yukari:] "Correct."

The pick finished, the tumblers of the door letting out a loud click.

[Suika:] "Wait, Rin's a part of this?"

[Yukari:] "She should be. But that comes at a later time."

[Alice:] "Are you all prepared for this?"

"Wish I could have done some shopping in town, ze, but I'm kinda looking forward to searching-"

"Marisa," I sighed. "No." And don't even think about it. I don't want Satori to be hostile because you're gonna steal from her.

Yuka, Mokou, and Reisen opened the large door-

And we were hit by a musky smell. That was our first greeting into the Palace of the Earth Spirits. The second greeting was the various noises of the animals inside. Dogs, cats, mostly. But other things too. Birds, mice, rats, a turtle, pretty much anything you can think of as a pet was inside, and more down the hallways of this grand place.

And grand it was. Large white and black checkered tiles. White marbled pillars along the walls, hell, the walls themselves looked to be white marble. The ceiling was so high you couldn't even see it through the darkness. Even shining the flashlight up there couldn't pierce it. Every few tiles, each taking up four tiles in a square, was the light shone through a stained glass window, so it projected its image on the ground; it was that same bird image from outside.

Yes, this was dark, and would continue to be dark. Yeah this is totally final dungeon design. It was something out of Castlevania. Gothic architecture is just so damn cool... Though the lack of light made it quite difficult to see the grand scale of everything.

There was also a blast of heat that came from when we opened the door. Heat plus strange smells is not a good combination.

Mokou let out a long curse of multiple choice words, none of which I shall repeat here. "Man, smells like the stables after a week in the summer heat!"

"You guys are so lucky the smell doesn't reach all the way to the SDM!" coughed Reimu.

"Why are there so many animals?" Mima was covering her nose. "I thought there were a lot of strays outside, but-"

[Suika:] "Satori loves pets. And as we said, pets love her."

I can clearly see that! There are dozens of these things here!

"So, basically she's a crazy cat lady who expands to other creatures." Youmu paused. "Uh, not that I'm saying she's crazy. And I hope she doesn't read my mind on what I thought just now and punish me for it."

I'd say something snarky, but the smell was still quite overpowering. It would take us a while to get used to it, though quicker than I thought.

The animals were quiet, mostly in the shadows, watching us enter. They weren't approaching us, but they weren't making a commotion over people trespassing. It was unnerving, again.

"Guys..." Reimu had her amulets out. "Guys, I think some of these are youkai. Most of them are just animals but there are some youkai among them. Definitely a youkai den."

Shoot. My eyes began darting back and forth, as I felt we might get attacked.

"She's right." Star coughed. "Some of these guys have stronger auras than the others."

[Eirin:] "Don't make sudden movements, okay?"

Star's eyes widened. "Wait I'm detecting something coming this way!"

And then it came from the shadows in front of us. Its very presence struck fear into my heart.

"What the hell is that?!" Marisa brought up her mini-Hakkero, aiming right at it.

Whatever it was, it was a big cat, with spots. Yeah, a big cat, like one you'd find out in the wild. Mountain lion?! Jaguar?! Panther?! I know kashas are supposed to resemble those, but is that- "Please tell me that's not Rin!"

[Yukari:] "That's not her."

"If it's not a kasha, then it's not a jaguar... not a leopard - the facial stripes. Facial stripes, spotted coat, striped tail. It's a cheetah." Chiyuri gulped, her shaking hand hovering over her gun. She was scared too. "A damn cheetah."

Okay so it wasn't a kasha just a cheetah. What the hell is this youkai doing with an adult cheetah down here?! How did a cheetah get down here?! Why is one down here?! I have so many questions!

The big cat just stared us down, as if daring us to try something violent. It bared its teeth, a light guttural growl coming from it. I had begun to back away, not sure if I should make eye contact with the thing. I mean, that's an act of aggression towards an animal, right? It wasn't making any motions against us, so it had to be guarding. Pretty effective way to guard something! Get a damn cheetah!

"Please don't attack them." The Stranger had placed her hand over Reimu's, slightly pushing it down. "There is no need to be hostile to them."

I had again totally forgotten she was with us. She had been silent and out of the way ever since she repaired her arm. The woman then slowly and deliberately made her way to the front - several of the animals had gotten in front of us, blocking our path to one of the hallways. If I had to assume, I'm guessing Satori is down this one.

The Stranger knelt down at the line of them, reaching into her cloak and producing something. Whatever it was, she was feeding them with it, and when they took the food, she gently stroked their heads. The stares were gone, replaced with the dogs wagging their tails at the affection this woman was showing them, and the cats rubbing against her while purring.

"I wouldn't recommend attacking them." The Stranger turned her head to us, speaking with such a calm tone that it was soothing even to me. "If Satori finds out that we attacked her pets without provocation, she'll make life miserable for us."

And like Patchouli said, a satori can be peaceful. Which I hope is what we're getting. Fat chance, but I can hope. I kept my eyes on that cheetah, wondering how we were going to get out of this one.

"Seriously, just don't make any sudden movements right now, okay? You won't outrun him." She returned her attention to the pets. It was as if the animals fell in love with the Stranger in an instant. She was saying little things to them, gently petting, and allowing them to take in her scent. The Stranger began to move, and the blocking animals followed her to the side of the hall, allowing us passage. "Come on. Let these people through."

"So what's your ability then?" Reimu bemusingly said as she kept her eyes on the other animals. "Crushing spirits, making phantom limbs, and being good with animals?"

I was just about to ask that.

The Stranger's mouth let out a little smile. "Pretty much, actually. I'm an animal lover, though even I think this is a little too much. Komeiji has way too many animals. It might be impossible to show the proper affection that each one deserves." The Stranger made her way to the cheetah, and the big cat just stared at her. "Yes, it is too much isn't it? You have so many brothers and sisters and cousins here, don't you?" Gently, the Stranger reached out for the cat. I braced for when the cat was going to attack, but the big guy let her pet him. And... it was purring.

Wait, really? You took to her that quickly? What kind of guard are you?! And here I thought having a cheetah as a guard was smart - instead it turned into a pussycat!

The Stranger nuzzled the big cat, grinning. "Too many, aren't there? Yes there are. What's the matter, don't get enough attention?" She was talking to it like one would to a palm-sized kitten. "You're so cute, I wish I could take you home to my family. But we're here on business. Where's your mom?" The cat looked down the hall, and let out a meow. Well, a meow that a cheetah could deliver (and yes, apparently cheetahs can meow; they are cats so I guess it shouldn't be a surprise). The Stranger smiled. "Okay. We just want to talk to her, okay?" She stood up from giving it affection and it let out a disappointed grunt.

"You can talk to animals?"

The Stranger merely nodded, her attention fully on the pets. All of the pets were surrounding her, eager to receive some affection as well. It was like they had totally forgotten about the intruders in their home. The cheetah in particular was circling the Stranger, rubbing its body on her, still purring.

[Kaguya:] "I can see why you invited this woman along to this incident, Yakumo."

[Yukari:] "She has her uses."

Tenshi gave me a slight nudge. "Do I even have to say it?"

Thank you, Yukari. I watched as the Stranger worked her magic. You'd probably be very good with Shamisen. Maybe you'd even be able to get him to talk again. Though I don't know if I would want that ability to talk to animals. Shamisen had conversations with me, and he didn't have anything interesting to say. Let's be real - what kind of conversations would you have with an average house cat if you could talk to one? All they know is being inside the house, eating, using the litter box, being pet by their owner and laying around. Unless they learned how to read the newspaper or watch TV, they'd quickly make for boring talk due to lack of things to talk about. Though a cheetah might say something interesting for at least one conversation, right?

I swear, I wasn't more than a meter and a half away from the cheetah when the group began to pass it. It was kind of awesome to be so up close to this kind of animal.

"Do you want to pet him?"

I stared at the Stranger like she was crazy, but... to be honest... I pursed my lips, weighing the pros and cons. Screw it. If I die today, then I'm gonna have at least this experience.

Mind you, I was scared as hell about it, but I tentatively approached the big cat. The cheetah just gave me a curious look as I lightly pet its back. The fur felt more like a dog's coat than a cat's, but the bigger cat was obviously more built with bigger muscles. My heart leaped to my throat when the cheetah left her, and rubbed against me, before going back to the Stranger. This wasn't like a house cat rubbing you - this cheetah had some mass to it, so it was pushing me as it rubbed.

That probably took a few years off my life.

I stood there, dumbfounded, and when I turned back, everyone was wide-eyed.

"Man, even I'm not crazy enough to do that, ze." Marisa grinned at me. "But that was awesome!"

I merely nodded, returning to the group. Now that is something I doubt many people have on their resumes - petting a cheetah, let alone one rubbing against you.

[Aya:] "Kyon, you are insane."

[Flandre:] "Got some sort of death wish?"

Inappropriate comment, Flan!

As we walked down the hall, the Stranger's love of animals was apparent, and it was reciprocated. They were following her, getting out of our way to receive some attention from this mysterious new person.

"Aw, you want a tummy rub. Greedy, aren't you?" It seemed that the Stranger was enjoying this way too much as a dog laid down and exposed its belly to her.

What an interesting woman she was. Missing an arm, replacing it with a phantom limb, able to crush spirits, and able to communicate with animals. And I didn't even know her name.

The walk down the hall was uneventful, thanks to the Stranger. Every pet was getting out of our way. I stopped trying to count how many there were that Reisen shone her flashlight over.

[Yuyuko:] "Yukari, what's wrong?"

We all looked to the orb, as it was moving about quickly, looking at the pets.

[Yukari:] "Rin should be coming out to fight you right now. Another thing that's changed..."

"Isn't it a good thing that we're skipping a fight?" asked Youmu. "And about time too, isn't it?"

[Yukari:] "...Maybe, maybe not."

Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. Does Satori have a horse, by the way? I'm not seeing any.

[Alice:] "How many pets are there anyway?"

[Nitori:] "Not like Satori is lonely or anything, is she? How many pets does a person even need!?"

"This is not healthy behavior." Mokou was shaking her head. "I mean, I'm amazed there aren't... uh... droppings everywhere. For so many animals, it's surprisingly clean 'n all."

Yeah, it's like it's almost too clean. If it wasn't for the stench, you'd never know there were this many creatures. I mean, not that I was complaining about the cleanliness. I've read articles and seen on the internet about hoarders and people who keep too many animals. I should thank my lucky stars that we're not having to step through such "gunk".

"I can't even imagine trying to clean up after so many animals." Sakuya sighed, slightly bringing up her hand to her face almost as if on reflex. "The smell is almost overwhelming though. You're right - I don't think this Satori is well."

[Patchouli:] "Satori are among the most hated youkai race by other youkai. She finds love from these animals. I mean, it's excessive, but I understand the formula."

"Like how you love books and practically live in the biggest library, Lady Patchouli?" Sakuya chuckled. "You look after your books like you were looking after pets."

[Patchouli:] "I'd like it a lot more if you and Meiling could keep a certain rat out of here. Your cat-ness is severely lacking, even more so than that cheetah who caved too quickly."

Cat-ness? What? Inside joke of the SDM, I was later told. They didn't explain it to me. But the "rat" was referring to Marisa and her usual stealing of books.

[Yukari:] "Something's wrong."

"What now?"

[Yukari:] "Rin really should be challenging you by now in the hallways before you get to her master. She hasn't yet. Something did change here. I don't like this."

Reimu grumbled. "Stay on your toes then guys."

This is a good thing though, isn't it?

[Remilia:] "Seriously, Sakuya, if I ever get like this, collecting these many animals, stab me. I mean, a couple are fine, but... no, this is just excessive."

"That means it's really bad if you think something is excessive."

[Remilia:] "I swear I'll drown you in this pool, Kyon."

"As long as you aren't keeping a bunch of seals or whatever in it."

I heard Sakuya chuckle again.

"Hey, uh, Koizumi. Reminds me." Mokou took out the cigarette and tapped the ash off it, raising her eyebrow at the esper. "You said you had an interview with Akyuu?"

"Ah, that. It was right after our date way back then. Remember? She was following us for a bit?"

Mokou slowly nodded. "Ah, right, right."

"Why?" Koizumi got this huge genuine grin. "Thought I'd visit Gensokyo without visiting you?"

The immortal blushed, before quickly putting the cigarette back in her mouth and looking away from Koizumi.

So that's when he had that interview. I was wondering about that.

[Kaguya:] "What, worried he wouldn't pay you for your services again, street walker?"

Mokou glared at the orb. "Don't you have five guys you have to go spread your legs open for?" Mokou grumbled, the pure hate on her face matching her tone. "I'm pretty sure they're all wondering why you're missing your usual Wednesday appointment with them."

[Kaguya:] "And I'm sure that your regular clients are wondering why you aren't at your usual corner."

"How many times I gotta keep telling you? That was my mom, you dumb Lunarian bi-"

Before Mokou and Kaguya could resume their eternal insult routine more than they already did there, we saw a light shining out a doorway to the right. Approaching it, and hastily telling Mokou to keep quiet, Reisen peered in, giving us a nod before rounding the corner into the room. Following the soldier, we came across a room that was as grand as the hall was. Grand halls require even grander rooms. This was a large study that was bigger than the first floor of my parents house. Kaguya, Satori, Remilia... these girls live well.

The floor was still checkered marble, and there was still the stained glass windows that let in the light and the symbol into the room. On the far wall was a large bookcase that lined it, and in front of it, all the way across from the door was a desk. Above it was an ornate electric chandelier, which is what gave ample reading light for the desk. As for the person...

I didn't know what I was expecting a satori to look like, as they are supposed to be like monkeys. This...

It was a petite girl, but obviously a woman. She only looked like a child due to her small stature. She had short purple hair that didn't even reach down to her shoulders and tired-looking purple eyes. A blue blouse with pink trim that had yellow heart buttons, and a light pink skirt. She was also standing at the desk, looking down at some notes, which was how I was able to see she was wearing dark pink slippers. Slippers? Really? Well, this was her home. She looked like a shut in, really. Her hair was a bit unkempt save for the black hair band holding it together, and her clothes looked quite wrinkled. That, coupled with her tired look, just screamed "I spend all day indoors" to me.

However, there was still the glaring thing about her that made you realize she wasn't 'normal'. There was an eye over her heart on her shirt, and from that eye, extended some tube looking things that attached to her hair band and sleeves via more yellow heart button looking things.

At first I thought it was some crazy accessory, but when she blinked, it blinked. Seeing it for the first time made my skin crawl.

[Suika:] "...Satori..."

As if it wasn't obvious this was her. She stood there at the right side of the desk, looking down at an open book.

"A visitor?" Satori Komeiji spoke with such little enthusiasm it reminded me of beginning-of-the-SOS-Brigade Nagato. "How unusual. Actually... visitors? Even more unusual."

I had hoped that she didn't notice us, but she apparently did.

"Of course I noticed you. If you can see my eyes, then there's a good chance I can see you. Also I can hear your voices." She still didn't turn her attention from what she was reading.

"So you're the most hated person in the underground then?"

Dammit Reimu!

A corner of Satori's mouth frowned, as she turned her eyes to us. "Now that is not a very nice way of putting it. Even though it's true." She stared at us for a while, before motioning to the desk, to the small pot of tea. "Some of you would like some tea?"

Wha-

"Because some of you are thirsty." Satori fully turned to us. "It isn't much, but I certainly won't drink it all. Also because it's cold."

And yeah, she was cute. Even though she looked tired and unkempt, she still had a charm to her.

She slightly blushed for a half a second while staring at me, causing me to blush. Man, I can't even- I didn't finish that thought, because-

"What would be the point, right?" She had a slight smirk.

Damn it all. And yes, her tone of voice was very much like Nagato's initial reactions to me, without the curtness.

"That being said, I would like to know why you all decided to break into my house." Satori stared at Sakuya. "Though I suppose picking the lock is better than breaking the gate like that oni did." Satori frowned. "I'll have to bill her later for that. Oh, and thank you all for not attacking my pets. I'm truly grateful for that." Her eyes went from person to person, and I knew what she was doing - she was picking through our minds.

"It's kind of what I do. Might as well ask a bird not to fly."

"Should we introduce ourselves?" asked Youmu.

"Would it matter at this point?" Satori took a few steps towards us, obviously intrigued by our group. "Miss... Konpaku. Hmm." Satori stood up straight and gave a slight bow. "Even though it is seemingly moot at this point, it would be rude for me to not properly introduce myself, right? I'm Satori Komeiji, the Master of the Palace of the Earth Spirits."

"I'm-"

"No need."

You really are-

"Frustrating? It's how our minds work."

"Yeah, but why-"

"Thoughts move faster than speech. You've been told this - anybody finds it annoying to have the same thing said to them twice in a row. Try having that be how you hear every conversation just because you were born a satori."

Pretty much what was said about Satori. "So who's at the disadvantage here?"

"Good question. One I always ask myself."

"You say it's rude-"

"Not to introduce oneself. Yes, I suppose it's rude for me to not allow you to do so." She grit her teeth. "You're finding me annoying. I'll attempt to tone down my sentence finishing."

Thank you very much for that. Allowing us to introduce ourselves to the master of this home, Satori took a few more moments, looking at us, and the whole thing was making me uncomfortable. Kazami was right - she was a bit frustrating to deal with. The tiredness in her eyes gave way to intrigue, as she continued to make steps closer to us.

"Hey," Reisen looked back to us, and then to Satori. "If it's all right by you, can we avoid any -?"

"Conflict here? Even though you are prepared for it?"

"We'll take you on if we have to!" Cirno puffed out her chest and pounded on it, showing her usual confidant grin. "Eye'll-"

"Use your Perfect Freeze. Hmm. Interesting attack. Built to freeze magic." Satori smirked. "Maybe I should take such a spell for myself."

A flash of anger washed over Cirno's face. "No you don't! You don't get to take my attacks!"

"You wouldn't have a say in it." Satori stared at the fairy, ultimately deciding she wasn't going to be a threat.

If you only knew-

"That she's not to be taken lightly? I don't really see how she'll be a threat to me." That of course enraged Cirno, forcing the other three fairies to hold her back. Satori stared at them, before going back to reading our minds. "Huh... Hot springs... Oni... Gods... Geysers..." Satori's brow furrowed. "Vengeful spirits?" She gave a big frown. "Those shouldn't be getting out."

[Alice:] "There may be a little too much information for her to process here."

"Your friends in the orb are correct. It's like all of you are talking at once." She let out a small grunt. "Very loud for me. It's kind of difficult to-"

It might be faster for us here if you knew who sent us, well, if you have an idea of what's going on. Of course, I didn't like this.

"That would be the case. And you don't appear to be rather willing to part with your memories."

"Who would?" It's still faster than talking, which was kind of nicer.

"That's the question, isn't it?"

Deciding to make this easier for everyone, I willingly thought about the moment Yukari and I saw each other for the first time - in her realm. You know, before I came to Gensokyo. I stopped for a second, before I was going through all the memories of Yukari. Well, the important ones. I didn't need to think about how good Yukari looked in that police uniform. I got to the most important one, where Yukari was talking about Okuu and Orin.

"Ah. Okay. The sukima. You're one of hers. You know, I thought I told her..." The youkai's expression became more and more interested in what she was discovering. "Orin and Okuu? But they haven't developed powers yet."

Satori stood there, hands on her hips, when she was done. Her brow furrowed deep, finally showing her age. She slightly shook her head. "No... no this doesn't make any sense. Those two have no powers to speak of. You're telling me the sukima got you to come down here?" Satori stared at Youmu, who was about to say something. "But you're right. You did have to defeat some vengeful spirits that came up there." Satori looked disgusted as she stared up to the orb. "You were waiting for this, weren't you, Yakumo?"

[Yukari:] "Like I told Yuugi, you broke that old agreement. I do believe we can retaliate without fear of repercussion."

Even through the orb, I could tell Yukari's disdain for the satori through the tone of her voice, and Satori was reciprocating. A mind reader and a manipulator. I guess those two mix well like oil and water.

"You're not incorrect, Kyon."

You're going to call me that too?!

"I kinda like the nickname. Your name is too grand."

Screw you, you mind reader!

Satori stood there, her head lowered, left arm across and right hand at her chin. She was deep in thought over what she had learned from our minds.

It was a while before anyone said anything. I mean, at that point, we were intruders to her home, a fact that wasn't lost on us. Also, she did kind of have us outnumbered by all those animals out in the hallway, which, by the way, the Stranger was still busy with. She hadn't come into the room with us.

"Again, thank you for not attacking my pets. However, that isn't the issue here, is it?" Satori jutted her jaw a bit to the left. "What do you suggest, Yakumo?" Her eyes went up to the orb. "This information... I'm seeing that memories can be altered, but on the other hand, I get the feeling that what I'm reading is truth. I wouldn't put it past you to have found a way to screw with the memories of people so they can lead an attack on me without knowing you manipulated them into doing it. Certainly a possibility, but..." The youkai looked right at me. "Something about this just rings some truth to it." She took a step towards us, her tiredness having intrigue show through as she stared right at Koizumi. "A little girl? A human, no, two humans with the power of creation?" Satori let out a single chuckle, before looking down. "Heh. What is going on up on the above world?"

[Yukari:] "It is quite the situation, isn't it? If I could appear before you and let you know all this is true, I would. I do need your trust, Komeiji."

"You know that having them appear before me and allowing me to read their minds won't satisfy me." Satori looked over us. "They certainly don't want to face me."

[Yukari:] "I wouldn't wish my worst enemy to face you in a serious battle. It's going to happen, however, and you know why."

Satori nodded. "Ah, right. My policy." She eyed some of us, going from person to person. "Well, if I were to allow them to the lower levels, I would test them first, otherwise I would feel bad for sending them to their deaths."

So the lore is right. You are a nice person.

"Thank you. And polite, too? More so than that Remilia, right?"

[Remilia:] "I'm gonna dump you into the pool and put the boards back over it so you can't get out."

That wasn't polite at all!

Satori smiled. "I like to have a little fun. Kind of amusing for me. You're honestly the first people I've seriously talked to for this long." She stretched, letting out a sigh, before motioning us to follow her. "Okay. Come with me. If we are to battle, I wish to avoid having it done here." She walked past us, out into the hall, and lead us deeper into her Palace. The pets all crowded around her, and she spent a few minutes giving them some attention, before directing them away from where she would lead us. She really didn't want any of her pets getting hurt.

The place she wished to battle us was an even larger room, as big as a cathedral's room of worship. One side was entirely glass, and through it, past massive glass doors which opened into an open air courtyard, was the lift.

Satori stopped midway into the room, staring up at it. Before anyone could ask - "Yes, it is kind of weird to have it built in the middle of my home. However, it's the most stable and direct way through the floors of this place." She turned to us. "The Palace is directly built over the old way to Former Hell proper. The lift goes straight down to it. So, no matter what, you would have to go through me to get down there."

You just answered the most glaring question I had about this lift. "Does it-"

"Work? Yes, for getting from here to down there. Not up. That's only partially built, as you could see outside." She sighed, looking back to it. "It's going to be troublesome for all parties, however. Anything coming down will have to go through my home. I'll have to figure out a path to the city so they won't have to deal with me or bother my pets." She looked to the left side of the room. "I suppose I could knock down that wall over there. It leads right outside and off my property. Quickest path." She didn't say anything after that, instead leaving us in silence, and I guess our thoughts. So it couldn't have been silent for her.

"I in good conscience can't allow someone into the lower levels unless I know for sure they can defend themselves. I shall... test two of you. The two who are most human among you." She turned, looking right at me and Marisa. "That, and the witch is actually raring to go at me." Satori turned to me, before I could say anything. "You still have doubts about yourself. You're your biggest critic. Everyone here has some degree of faith in you, save for the ghost."

Screw you, Mima. Still, it was nice of Satori to say that.

"It's true. The connections you have with these people around you has endeared you to them, even though your contact with them has been relatively minuscule. It's also because of your limitations, that you can stand up when it counts for them. Sure, they're tired of your complaining, but they value you. You can't fly. You can't cast powerful magic. But you come through for them. Sometimes, that's all people need - someone who can be there and make things happen. Even the one you find annoying deeply cherishes your friendship." She briefly glanced at Koizumi to blatantly show who it was she was talking about. "Kyon, the people around you are your strength. So that's why I'm having you and Marisa fight me."

Marisa grinned. "I gotta say, the idea of going up against someone who can imitate all the spell cards? Sounds fun, ze."

"You have thoughts of battle. Belligerent, but I sense no hatred from you." Satori leaned back, closing her eyes. "'What a pain, let's just fight.' 'Everything will be fine if I beat her.' 'Maybe she can make more hot springs.' 'Let's see if she knows this: Kappappa-, kappappa-, taking a big bite out of Kyuuchan cucumber.'" Satori frowned, slight confusion showing on her face, as she stared at the witch. "Wait, what?"

I stared at Marisa too, kind of unable to believe that. "Where did you hear the jingle for the Kallen Zushi convenience store?" Marisa just shrugged, stating that she heard it somewhere. Even Satori couldn't find the source when looking through her mind. That is one of the most random things for Marisa to know.

...Dammit now I want a cucumber to snack on.

Marisa was just grinning, pure anticipation and excitement on her face despite the comedic bit right then. "What better way to see how I stack up with everyone."

"You made your danmaku and youkai extermination career playing catch up with everyone, by copying most attacks and making them yours."

"And you're gonna be doing the same damn thing, ze." Marisa turned her head to me, silently asking me to join her.

Mind you, I really didn't want to go up against Satori. But she basically called me out in the process, as well as Marisa. Besides, this would be a good test to see if I could hang in a battle.

Hecatia was said to be the god of magic. If I couldn't even stand up to a 'near-master' of magic, as Yuugi called Satori, then how could I realistically expect myself to take on the final boss, or even approach them?

And it wasn't like I was going to go through this alone. Marisa would be my ride, me riding shotgun. The witch also had a massive power boost due to Patchouli's crystals augmenting her power. I also had Shanghai and Hourai. I patted the two dolls, giving them a nod, before giving Marisa one as well. We stepped forward from the group, a barrier going up behind us so they wouldn't get hit, thanks to Satori. The youkai just stared, waiting for us to get ready.

I brought out a peach, eating half of it, giving the rest to Marisa. She brought out two mushroom blocks, eating one, and giving me the other. We did this as we kept our gaze on Satori.

Then we started gagging. The new mushroom blocks were synthetic, made by Asahina's group. Nothing organic could get through Yukari's portals, remember? I thought nothing could taste worse than the mushroom vodka, but Murphy's law strikes again. I know this was from Asahina's group, because Yukari chuckled it over the orb, telling us as such. Screw you for finding this amusing! This is the worst thing I've ever tasted! Imagine the taste of mushrooms, which is an acquired taste by the way, but replaced with plastic and if what you imagined motor oil tasted like. I mean, I like mushrooms. It's just that this was horrible.

It even felt like it coated my tongue like how I think motor oil would if I was stupid enough to drink it. It was slimy going down. Horrible in every way to every one of my senses.

"Marisa," That was Mima when the two of us ended our gagging fit. "Let's see how you perform against someone who knows what you'll be doing. I know you won't disappoint me."

[Alice:] "She'll be anticipating your every move, and she'll have access to every spell you know."

[Remilia:] "Honestly, there's no better way to gauge how far you've come. This'll essentially be a mirror match."

[Patchouli:] "You'd better not fail. My crystals should give you the edge here. If you fall, that's not the fault of my crystals, okay? It's on you."

Oh Gee thanks, Patchouli, for your vote of confidence in your crystals and not in Marisa.

[Nitori:] "Good luck, Marisa! You got this!"

Marisa silently put her broom in between her legs, the invitation for me to position myself behind her. I did as such, patted her shoulder, and up we went into the air to Satori's level. Marisa's free hand gave mine a squeeze.

"You'd better be ready for this, Kyon. I'm gonna go all out, ze."

"You're completely supercharged, aren't you?" I was feeling that familiar drop in the pit of my stomach, and also the slight thrill of riding with Marisa again.

"Damn straight. Peaches, crystals, full on magic, training. Ain't no way the two of us can lose to her, ze."

"If you're going to say out loud your strategy for a fight, me being a mind reader is kind of pointless."

"Marisa and I are pretty good at coming up with stuff on the fly." I couldn't help but smile at Satori. Okay, then, Miss Mind Reader. Test me to see if I can do this.

"Oh don't worry. I will." She opened her hand, and a deck of blank spell cards, which I don't know where she had those, glowed. "Just don't cry if you can't pass the test."

"Let's go, Marisa."

Then Satori's opening attack happened and I lost whatever courage I had gotten. It was just a mess of spread danmaku, large and big shots mixed together. Marisa could feel me tense, before giving my hand another squeeze, and calmly led us to the right a few meters, before moving back to our original position. Nothing even grazed us. Some shots came close, sure, but we weren't close to being hit. Didn't even need the dolls to block anything.

Right. Right. She's done this way longer. I'm going to trust her.

That's all Marisa did, calmly weaving us around the basic spread shots of Satori. The opening pattern was some sort of wall of danmaku, followed by a phalanx wall. Turns out it was a spreading triangle, alternating its position. A side, then a point, a side, and a point. Alternating between those. It was still too thick for us to get close enough to use a random shooter.

As for the youkai herself, Satori still kept her tired look on us. I could tell what she was doing, plain as day.

"Like I said, I'm testing you. I can already tell she's holding back her speed. Hmm." She took in a breath. "The real fight doesn't begin until I start using other people's attacks." Satori reached into her dress, producing a spell card. Before I could even think it- "Yes, this one is mine."

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "TERRIFYING HYPNOTISM"]

What was so terrifying about it? Harmless tracer lasers, spinning around her in a clockwise fashion, appeared, rotating until they reached us, and they stopped. There was also a buildup of spread shots around Satori, growing in intensity. Marisa hesitated as the tracer lasers were stopping on us, but then she went against the rotation - where there weren't tracer lasers, Satori shot a wave of danmaku, as she unleashed the spread shot. My heart skipped a beat at this until I understood what almost happened. Ah, this was a fake out. Faking that the tracers were going to be laser shots, and that the place where the tracers weren't would be a safe place. The spread shot was nothing special - even I could have maneuvered through it on foot.

How did Marisa figure this one out? I for one would have gone to the space where there weren't tracers. Even Satori seemed impressed by that, the mind reader's eyebrows going up when we avoided the initial stage of the spell card. The card then reversed direction with the tracers, again going for that same pattern.

Satori cracked a small smile. "Huh. You've already proven yourself smarter than most of the people down here. Not that it's any real accomplishment, but still."

"That was cute, ze. You actually almost got me to run into that."

"That being said, even though you are aggressive, the danmaku I can see in your heart is quite beautiful. Your heart..." Satori rose into the air, spreading out her arms, and a deck of blank spell cards just launched from behind her. Dozens and dozens of blank spell cards. They swarmed around Satori for a moment before going around us. The light from the circular danmaku intensified, my eyes drawn to them.

Satori stared right at me. I felt sleepy, well, not tired. But that type of sleepy when you're starting to lose your sense about you. Marisa's movements started to slow down too, I think. I wasn't too sure of my surroundings.

My eyelids felt heavy, the light from the circular danmaku growing even more, and it felt like my vision was starting to twist and-

When did I stop believing in Santa Claus? In truth, this sort of silly question holds no real signifi-

I blinked. No, what's going on? That memory just came up front. I tightly closed my eyes, wanting to focus on the spell card going-

A slip of paper, regarding the requirements to form a club.

Requirements for organizing an "association":

Five members or more. A sponsor teacher, club name, chairperson for the club, and club activities/goals summary are required - which then requires approval from the Student Council.

My memories were not coming out due to my own power - it was like someone had control of the DVD and was the one rewinding or fast forwarding to their content.

She's hypnotizing me! What the hell! I was being forced to remember these things.

"Kyon?" Sanae called out to me. "Kyon what's wrong?"

"She's..." It was a struggle to even speak. "She's in my mind." I brought up my hands to my head, but I couldn't stop staring at the circular danmaku. My eyes were fixated on it.

"This has got to be her hypnosis!" Koizumi shouted. "She uses the spell card to hypnotize you!"

"She's... she's in my head..." Marisa shook her head quickly, moving to the side to avoid another danmaku shot. We were still under attack during this, mind you. I don't know how Marisa was able to do this while being hypnotized. If it was me in control of the broom, I would have gotten hit already. "This... this isn't fair, ze." Our movement was definitely slowed. It was like the two of us were given sedatives.

Already what was being said was lost to my thoughts. It was like whoever had that remote control just turned up the volume so they could listen better.

Asakura spoke as I was preoccupied with finding Taniguchi in the room, since it had to be a prank. "That's why I have to kill you, and see what sort of reaction Haruhi Suzumiya would have."

Adult Asahina shifted aside her shirt, to give me a better view of her breast. "Look, can you see the star-shaped birthmark? It's not stuck on! You want to touch it?"

"Miss Suzumiya has grown tired of this reality, and she has decided to create a new one."

Annoyed, I spoke to Haruhi. "There weren't books which would suck the reader into another world, or books that people would emerge out of. Maybe you'll have better luck finding one or two of these books in those large and antique libraries."

"Have you not experienced a powerful sense of deja vu, from the day we visited the city pool up till now? In retrospect, those flashbacks are remnants of the previous incarnation - as there is no other explanation. Now, all of this has been addressed. The anomalies that we experience are the remaining segments from the reset." Koizumi had another one of this long winded theories, but this one sounded plausible.

There was no rhyme or reason to Satori's hypnosis. She was jumping from memory to memory, and it was chaotic.

This is a complete invasion of privacy you know! I've had enough of these already! I actually felt violated that she went through some of my Brigade memories.

"It's what I do. You might as well be cursing a bird who- I used that idiom already. Forgive me."

I'm not gonna forgive you for this!

Me sitting at the computer came to the forefront of my memories. When I was putting Asahina's photo files into a folder. Son of a bitch.

"Should I tell them about that? How you moved that to the new one?" Satori gave a slight smug smile.

She was talking about the fact that I had saved the pictures and brought them over to the new club room computer. ...I know. I just can't let go of those pics, you know? I like girls and the female figure. I felt another blush come on, while everyone but Tenshi had a confused look on their faces. They don't know about the photos?! I felt relieved but at the same time kind of horrified. Satori and Tenshi both knew. I'm guessing Yukari did as well. I guess they didn't see everything about me.

"Some memories are better left private."

You're telling me, Satori. Of course Tenshi knowing this would earn me some ribbing later, which I wasn't looking forward to. I stared at Satori, as I realized I was at her mercy. I now understand why you're hated.

"Again, sometimes I can't help it. Besides, you brought up that thought. Not me." One final smirk before she went back to reading me.

And she finally got to her goal. When I realized what she was going for, I tried to think about the Brigade again, but to no avail.

[SPELL CARD: BRUTE SWORD "KARMIC PUNISHMENT OF THE IDLE AND UNFOCUSED"]

That's a nasty-sounding spell card.

Youmu took a deep breath, holding her katana up at the sky, focusing. Sakuya shot-

Youmu was then at a different location, her sword out in a slashing motion. That was near instantaneous! Ten slashes appeared in the air between her original position and where she was at that point, and again each slash rained down their danmaku. Before they moved too far, Youmu did it again, and again, back and forth, each time adding ten more slashes. I was right - it was a nasty spell card.

Damn it, I can't let her-

[SPELL CARD: SCARLET SIGN "SCARLET MEISTER"]

I had never before seen so much red.

Remilia extended her arm, and quickly twirled in the air. Thousands of red shots were fired in one revolution. Remilia paused at the end of it, and did it again in the opposite direction. Sounds like a simple attack, but man was it a heavy attack. At first it appeared to be an unfair attack, but there were small openings one could fly through to avoid the shots. Thing is, the shots were almost as fast as Remilia, so one would need near-perfect reflexes to even survive that one.

"Nah!" Marisa's body tensed. "Not the cards! She's reading the cards!"

I can't let her get to the-

[SPELL CARD: REVERSE SIGN "EVIL IN THE MIRROR"]

Oh, you idiot.

You had to do it, didn't you? Even knowing the position you're in, you just had to go over Reimu's limit. You had to defy the rules one last time.

Purple shots appeared all around Marisa and she started to fly funny, but I wasn't looking at her. I was looking at Reimu. Reimu was angry. She already had a spell card in her hand, trailing darkness behind it. If this were soccer, it would be a red card.

No! She's getting the spell cards from the future!

[SpElL cArD: rEgReTfUl LiFe "iMmOrTaLiTy'S rEcKlEsS sAcRiFiCe"]

Fire poured from Mokou's body, enveloping her as she flew directly at Seija, who fired a stream of shots and moved out of the way. She almost didn't move far enough; Mokou suddenly exploded, creating an enormous fireball that threw more fire in every direction. It was danmaku fire, but I could feel the intense heat from where I was. Cirno managed to get out of the way as well, but Wakasagihime wasn't so lucky. She fell to the ground after being roasted by the spell. Through the resulting smoke, I saw Mokou's body being reassembled.

Did she actually kill herself with that spell card?! She did. That spell card destroyed her body. What kind of power does that card have to kill its user?! Mokou, I know you like to make a point, but that's just nuts!

It was like this for every card I've ever seen in Gensokyo. Every single one that I remembered.

But nothing pissed me off more than when she got to Nagato's cards. The mere idea of her using Nagato's cards against us ignited a small spark of rage in me.

The blank spell cards glowed, and emitted a humming sound, before returning to Satori's position, flying around her. The process was complete, and she had everything we knew.

"Your hearts all have such beautiful danmaku. It's too bad that I'll use this collective beauty to make you two suffer." Satori ended the spell card, and as the spell cards around her swirled, she plucked out one from the air. "Here I come. From now on it's the real thing! Sleep with the trauma that always wakes you up!"

When she did end her hypnosis, the sleepiness went away in an instant, making my body jolt - in that bad way that your body jolts you awake when you're trying to go to sleep. You know what I'm talking about. It added to all the stress and dread of the fight, and I'm sure it was the same for Marisa, so I'm sure we were in bad moods.

[Alice:] "Here comes the copies!"

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "FLOWER WITHER AWAY"]

Letty's spell card?! That one caught me off guard. Five sheets of ice bended around Satori, in the shape of a flower, and were breaking off chunks at us. Right when the spell card started, Marisa had tensed, and we flew closer to the mind reader, but had to back off. Dammit, she knows we have to get close for the random shooter.

As for Marisa's attacks, she wasn't slouching off on the attack with her lasers and stars. Thing is, no matter where she aimed, Satori would simply move out of the way. Marisa only had a few varieties of the Master Spark, but the witch was more direct with her attacks. I've also mentioned this a while back - when you shoot a laser card, you have to really put in some strength in order to redirect it.

No, if Marisa attempts a Spark, Satori will easily dodge, unless we get close enough.

Ending her card, Satori went for another.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "DOUBLE BLACK DEATH BUTTERFLY"]

[Yukari:] "One of mine that I used against Reimu! Watch out!"

Dammit I didn't want to face a Yukari card! And it was really early too.

Blue and red danmaku, shot in a spread, but then they paused for several seconds, even as the second wave was being shot out. Then the first wave - it was a redirect card! The blue shots went left, the red right. Much like Parsee's card, this one left a lot of danmaku on the field, as the shots were taking their time before they redirected themselves. This required taking stock of what was hanging out in the air and what was being shot and introduced into the fray.

Truth be told, this wasn't as chaotic as I remembered when Yukari fought Reimu at the end of my first adventure in Gensokyo. The two of us were going through it fine, as long as we didn't run into one of the stationary shots. Well, Marisa was. I was still in a little shock over the mind reading process, and thankfully Marisa had recollected herself quick enough to go back to effective dodging.

"Not as effective. A secondhand memory." Satori was pondering this. "Hmm... Perhaps it's because she was so calm about facing through it that it isn't as intense as someone else remembered it..."

So Chiyuri was right. Your cards are incomplete because it's based on memory. Though it was still chaotic enough to keep us away from her.

Marisa let out a sigh, getting frustrated that she hasn't had much of a chance to go on offense, I assume, because she turned her head to me. "Left apron pocket. Just choose something at random and read it. You should have the magic to use it." I blinked, before she gave a grin. "You don't know all my spell cards. ...Actually..." Marisa started reaching into various pockets, giving me the cards. "Handle the cards. I'll handle the flight. Be as random as you can, ze. Blindly pick 'em."

This might work. I shot a look to Satori, who was gritting her teeth at us, at what we were attempting to do. I shuffled the deck of cards, making sure that I couldn't see any of them. I looked over the cards, noticing that they had names, yes, but they were in the same general place on the card. Okay, so if I... I shuffled the deck again, and drew a card, putting one hand over the name part, making sure I couldn't see it as I read the incantation. Satori's eyes widened. She didn't know what I was going to use.

This was going to be a surprise.

Come on, let this be a good one.

[SPELL CARD: LOVE STORM "STARLIGHT TYPHOON"]

Three orbs formed behind Satori, swinging like a pendulum from my position, and unleashing a barrage towards me and Marisa, with Satori in the cross fire. Also, a small amount of star danmaku formed from our position and shot in the direction of the mind reader.

I chose a simple one. It wasn't very chaotic, and despite the panic that had set on her face, she appeared to calm down after staring at Marisa for a few seconds - Satori must have read how the card worked.

"Well, ze, good attempt, I guess." The witch gave a shrug.

Suffice to say, this kind of got the mind reader angry, that we had surprised her. This might bite us in the butt.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "SPRING KYOTO DOLLS"]

One of Alice's! This reminded me of the Foggy London Dolls, but way more chaotic. In fact, I think this was the Lunatic version of the London Doll card. We easily knew this was one of Alice's as a lot of doll familiars appeared around Satori, and spun around, just going crazy with their shots. Again, no opening to get close to her.

I don't know if Shanghai or Hourai took offense to this, that this youkai used their master's card. Well, maybe Hourai did. I did see her close her little hand into a fist when the card activated. That's actually kind of cute.

What wasn't cute were Shanghai and Hourai taking down the dolls that would pop up close to our proximity. Each bash of the shield or stab of the lance reduced the enemy dolls to shards. Pretty weak dolls in comparison to Shanghai and Hourai. Those two were giving us breathing room, taking down the dolls that were trying to corner us, allowing Marisa to aim her own shots and do her dodging.

Of course, Satori just kept moving out of the way. No matter how much Marisa tried to lead Satori into a shot, the mind reader effortlessly dodged everything that came her way.

As time went on, the dolls just kept increasing in number.

We needed breathing room. I chose another card at random.

[SPELL CARD: MAGIC SPACE "ASTEROID BELT"]

This was just a dense spread shot of red and blue star danmaku. Thankfully they ate up the enemy dolls from Satori, allowing us to not have to worry about dodging.

As soon as both of our spell cards ended, Satori went into another one.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "MERCURY POISON"]

[Patchouli:] "That's mine! They're alternating rotating spread shots!"

Just like Patchouli said, they were spread shots, but going in a direction. They came out in waves, and thankfully, in a certain color. Two different colors, actually. Blue went to our right, yellow to our left. Made it easier to understand which direction each shot was going. The only difficult thing about this one was the sheer volume of the shots.

"This is really starting to take me back, ze. Reminding me of all the fights I've seen and been a part of."

"I assume you have intimate knowledge of fighting Patchouli."

"Got that right."

You totally don't even sound sorry about that.

This card didn't even give Marisa trouble - so I was right. She knew this one. Satori quickly cancelled this card, appearing upset that Marisa was taking joy in going through that card again.

"I'm not upset. I'm a bit annoyed."

You're the one using spell cards she's bested. Don't get upset at me that she can best them again.

That earned me a glare from Satori.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "TENGU'S MACROBURST"]

Satori was using spell cards with abandon, just slinging them at us. This was a pure onslaught of magical attacks. Again, a no brainer whose card was this - it's right in the name. Danmaku in a flying "V" pattern dove around us. Some right for us, while some went against the wall, and bouncing off it and going for us. It was a direct shot mixed with ricochets.

Man these girls are so creative with their shots and cards. These may be just copies, but... even the pattern ones are beautiful. Though...

This card wasn't like the others. The flying V patterns weren't necessarily covering Satori.

Satori was open with this card. It wasn't like the others where they surrounded the user.

I actively went through the deck, looking for it. There it is! "Marisa! Get close now!" I began reading the card, and Marisa weaved through the patterns to get closer to Satori.

The mind reader instantly knew what we were doing, and once again, panic went through her face. She really didn't want us to use a random shooter.

That's too bad. Now you're in for a surprise.

[SPELL CARD: MAGIC SIGN "MILKY WAY"]

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "DUPLEX BARRIER"]

Right as I activated Marisa's random shooter, Satori cancelled her current card and activated Reimu's barrier card. The mind reader still had her arms in front of her body, and she was shaking. She stared at us, wide eyed, but as she saw that her barrier protected her, that fear turned to anger.

There were various shouts of disapproval and frustration from our group over this, and I shared the sentiment. I even heard Marisa grunt in frustration as she backed away from the barrier surrounding the satori.

A satori is afraid of surprise. Springing surprise on them fills them with fear and they run away. It's their weakness, and we just tried to use Satori's weakness. The anger gave way to rage as she glared at the two of us.

I know what makes you afraid.

Satori then just started to glare directly at me, as in "how dare you even think that". She plucked another card, and while still looking at me as her barrier faded-

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "ASTEROID 10152"]

Oh hell no!

Now it was my turn to get angry. All that frustration from earlier welled up inside me upon seeing that Satori was using one of Nagato's spell cards. The giant ice asteroid formed in Satori's hand, and with a cold look on her face (pun not intended), getting ready to toss it at us.

"Kyon, I could use a spark right about now!"

I searched through the deck for one, and picked the first I could find, handing it to her, as Satori finished forming the ice ball, and the mind reader immediately heaved it at us as soon it was finished forming. The ice chipped off as the ice asteroid launched at us, becoming danmaku, and I could feel the low temperature as it came towards us.

[SPELL CARD: LOVE SIGN "MASTER SPARK"]

Marisa's calling card performed its purpose. When the launched ice met it, it was halted. Marisa grunted, I guess putting more power into the spark, and I could see the cracks form on the asteroid, before it shattered. The ice was still falling around us, grazing my arm and leaving danmaku scarring on my cloths. Absentmindedly I patted the black soot off of me, the back of my mind annoyed that I'd have to clean these clothes later. I mean, I had dressed for an outing with Haruhi, so these were some of my best and favorite casual winter clothes.

Anyway, most of the shattered ice was redirected by the dolls, so it didn't catch us, for the most part.

"Any bright ideas, ze?" Marisa shot a glance back to me in between dodging, and trying to use the remaining time of her spark to hit Satori - of course the mind reader didn't even get grazed as she continued her calm movements. "She blocked my random!"

"Don't you have any more?"

"Not really, ze!" Another shot came near us, one that couldn't be blocked by Shanghai and Hourai, who at that point were already doing their best to block for us. Part of Marisa's hair was singed by that passing shot, flinging the hair to my face.

Quickly brushing that aside, I sputtered "What else do we have that's random?!"

"I guess using someone else's spell cards, but Satori has access to all the other barrier cards as well! I totally forgot about the barriers being a factor, ze!"

I tried, but quickly gave up on counting how many spell cards were flying around Satori. "She's gonna overwhelm us until we get tired!"

"That's the idea." Satori plucked another card out of the air, tapping it in her hands. Whatever anger she appeared to feel earlier was gone, and she was back to being stoic. Seriously, she kept reminding me of Nagato. "You can't outlast me - you have to defeat me." She stared at the card she had in her hand for a second, before frowning. "...No, not that one..." She then chose another as she pocketed it in her skirt.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "MT. TOGAKUSHI TOSS"]

Shots formed around Satori, and like before, their speed frightened me as they gathered into her, but they lost some of their speed when shot at us. A varied display of small, human size, and truck sized danmaku.

Dammit she's still keeping us away from her! The speed of this card made Marisa go faster, and one of the speedier shots actually grazed my arm. Okay, she's ramping up the difficulty here! The small shots were directly fired at us in a barrage, with the medium and large shots in our general direction, I guess to try to be there for the chaos.

Oh yeah, and this one was Suika's. Marisa let out a curse as her hat was knocked off and fell to the floor. I let out one too, as that shot brushed past my hair.

"Anything'll do, Kyon! Just keep using my deck!"

I looked through the deck, picking one at random, making sure I didn't look at the title of the card again.

[SPELL CARD: STAR SIGN "METEONIC SHOWER"]

This was just a spread shot of stars in front of us. At least they seemed to move randomly, as there wasn't a pattern to them. It was enough to catch Satori by surprise as she sped up to dodge it.

"Forgot I had that one, ze! My deck's pretty big!"

Marisa wasn't kidding. I mean, I know she has variations of the sparks, but it's also easy to forget that she has star danmaku as well. Marisa also likes to copy attacks she enjoys. From the information on her, a lot of her attacks are based on ones she's seen or gone through. Kazami had the original spark, Marisa copied it. I mean, hell, really, most of Marisa's attacks really were just her copying-

...No wonder Satori chose Marisa to fight against.

"Now do you get it, Kyon?" Satori spoke as she floated in the air, arms crossed. "You need to be prepared for everything."

And you're going to use everything against us.

"Exactly." Satori used another card.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "EXTEEEENDING AAAARM"]

What the hell kind of name is-

[Nitori:] "Don't be using my cards! They're copyright! You need to pay me for the rights to use that!"

Oh, one of Nitori's. You know, I can't recall ever seeing a Nitori spell card.

Though, seeing this card in action, this seemed to be more of a Marisa card than one of a kappa, lest be one that was named "Extending Arm". This was more of a laser show. Several turrets encircled Satori, shooting criss-cross lasers with some shooting in one direction and the others shooting opposite, with sparse spread shots. Marisa had to move fast to put us into positions where the lasers wouldn't hit us.

Satori was not making any banter, not making any threats. This was purely a test for us. All her spells by now easily surpassed any single fight I've seen in Gensokyo. At least, I think it did. Despite the complexity of the patterns, Satori didn't appear to get tired. She just kept on casting magical attack after magical attack. It was almost like she was limitless with her magic. No wonder she's called a near master. Add to the fact that she kept minimally moving her body too. She just moved around enough to be out of the way for Marisa's attempts to hit her.

If I were a spectator, I think I'd decide that this fight is one-sided. Even Marisa was looking tired, her shoulders moving up and down as she was doing her best to move the two of us around in the air. Our defense was all right, despite the grazes... again, it's just that absolutely nothing has hit Satori.

Seeing Marisa start to get tired was worrying, as Satori kept spamming spell cards. This is just going to be never ending, isn't it? We need something... I again went to a random card, praying that I was going to get something good this time.

[SPELL CARD: LIGHT SIGN "LUMINOUS STRIKE"]

A yellow ball formed in front of us, and just shot out. The process took less than a second, and actually caught Satori off guard. It clipped her left arm, spinning her around. Finally we hit her! She let out a small squeal, before she righted herself and continued with her card, while rubbing her hit arm. Besides that, best part was that it ate up the danmaku, giving us breathing room for a few seconds.

That's right. Marisa is about quick, powerful, and decisive shots. She's direct...which actually matches her personality. There really was something to what Yukari was saying earlier.

"Great choice, ze! Couldn't have picked a better one myself!" Marisa gave me a grin, despite the sweat beading on her forehead. She really was getting tired. "We need more like that! Quick ones so she doesn't have the time to read my mind on what it is!"

"It's not like we have any other choice." I looked through the cards, some names I recognized, some I didn't, and I shuffled them again. "I just hate this! We need a lot of luck here!" Yuugi was right - fighting Satori wasn't fun.

[Yukari:] "Kyon, you should know how to beat her."

What?! I turned my head to the orb.

[Yukari:] "Everything has been laid out for your victory. Just like always, you need to take into account of everything that has happened to you. What tools do you have to beat her?"

For the life of me, I couldn't figure it out. Not any of my spell cards, nor using random Marisa cards seemed viable. What on me could I use to beat Satori?

Damn it all, how are we going to beat Satori? She has way too many cards, even though she's been hit, she still doesn't look tired... Well, she looked tired before the fight, but even that level of tiredness hasn't changed. We were going to get overwhelmed. Satori had every card to cherry pick from, and we couldn't do a damn thing about it. My thoughts went back to when Mokou used her self destruct spell card against Seija. Satori might even have that one too, but of course I didn't want to see her blow herself up. Still, what can we do? I mean, it's not as we could force random spell card use-

We can force it!

[Yukari:] "Took you long enough."

I shot a look back to the celestial. But before I could say anything, Satori screamed "No!"

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "TRINITY SPARK"]

The massive laser came right for us, but Shanghai and Hourai both blocked it. I tried shouting to Tenshi what to do, but I don't think she heard me over the sound of the lasers. The two dolls quickly dropped from the sheer power of the Trinity, when a Yukari portal washed over us, depositing us out of the path. Thank you, Yukari!

Affording a look, Sakuya had stopped time to catch both dolls so they wouldn't break or get damaged upon hitting the floor. They'd be out for a while.

Again rage showed on Satori's face, but then panic. She knew what I was going to call for.

"Reisen's weather! Do it now!"

Tenshi stood there for a microsecond before nodding and activating the Sword of Hisou, aiming it at the rabbit. The humidity in the room immediately increased, as the Mountain Vapor took over. I looked over the cards I had, and the title and incantations they had on them glossed over, no, fogged over, like how a mirror gets when you run hot water. They were then replaced by a generic incantation - in fact it looked to be the incantation of the Icicle Fall, but Marisa was reading something different. She read all of them as the incantation of her Master Spark.

So that's how it's randomized. You seriously can't tell which is which, and your basic incantation activates that card so you can't even know what it is when you read it. I even looked through my cards - and I couldn't tell which was which either. They all read like the Icicle Fall as well.

I handed back Marisa's cards, making sure I didn't mix in my own with her deck. The witch took this time to take another mushroom block. "Damn that was a smart move!" She looked to Satori. "Now we're even, ze!"

We had this time because Satori was in a panic, going through all the spell cards she had. Her cards were affected as well.

"Satori!" I don't know if she heard me, as she was still in panic mode. "Satori, please listen to me. You have one of Mokou's suicide cards, right?"

"That's right, she should, huh?" That was Mokou.

"Just... don't, Satori. This fight's over. Whatever we do, or you do, is at random now. It's over for you. I don't want to see you play Russian roulette with your own life for this game of danmaku. And whatever happens from this point forward, you're going to be surprised." I really meant that. And I knew she knew I meant it. "This is your weakness from this point on. You don't seem like a bad person, so I don't want you to go through that."

Satori pursed her lips. "...I appreciate your concern. But..." Satori turned to me, plucking out a spell card. "I knew that one. It was in the immortal's heart, and in the forefront, like she was daring me to pick it." Satori shook her head. "I simply didn't copy it, not from her mind nor from yours. It's not in my deck." She gave me a smile. "Again, I appreciate you care for my well being. But I am testing you two."

"You're going to be surprised when Marisa attacks." And you really were reacting to even the slightest notion of being surprised. Are you really going to be okay with this?

Satori's smile widened a bit. "You really are a strange human, aren't you? Caring for something like me?"

"Can't help it. Maybe it's because you remind me of one of my best friends. I see a lot of Nagato in you. And other people hating you isn't my concern. You're a little cheeky with your attacks, but I can't hold that against you."

"She really does have a special place in your heart, doesn't she?" Satori looked at the affected spell card in her hand. "I felt that hatred in your heart when I used one of her cards... but it wasn't at me, directly. Just at me for using it. There was a reason. I actually earned that hatred instead of it just being applied for what I am."

"How would you feel if we used one of your sisters cards?"

"My sis-" Satori stared at me, before looking to all of us. "How do you..." She stared at the orb next. "...Yakumo... My sister is..."

[Yukari:] "She frequents Gensokyo. She's just fine."

Satori just floated there for a few moments, before looking away. "I see." She then began to chuckle. "I suppose you're right, Kyon. I'd hate you if you used my sister against me in some fashion."

[Remilia:] "Yeah, if I came down there and you used my sister's card against me, I'd tear you to pieces too."

Ignoring that, Satori pointed the card at us. "Regardless, that does not change the fact that I'm still testing you. And this fight isn't over. I really do appreciate your concern, but this isn't over until you knock me out or I knock you out."

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "ICICLE FALL ~ EASY"]

"Oh God dammit." Satori grimaced at what she just used as Marisa got closer so that we could be in the safe zone.

Hey don't knock it. I've used this to great success. This just wasn't the best card to use against Marisa.

Marisa chuckled as she brought out a spell card as we were mere meters away from the mind reader. "Well, Satori, been fun, y'know? Time to end this, ze."

[SPELL CARD: STAR SIGN "ESCAPE VELOCITY"]

Marisa and I immediately shot up with a small danmaku aura in front of us, and we left a trail of stars. It was like someone hit the ejector button and we launched. We didn't launch from the broom, thankfully, but that's what it felt like. This card served two purposes. If someone got too close, they'd get hit by it. Also, it could be used to shoot up in the air and escape from a spell card.

...We were also too far from Satori to hit her, and were now far enough for her to, yep, she redirected the icicle fall at us now that we were out of the safe zone. Marisa muttered more than just several curses as she weaved through the icicles to get back to the safe zone.

"All the damn laser cards I have and I had to randomly pick that one." From what I could see, her face was red with anger and embarrassment.

Who was also red in the face was Satori. Sure, she found amusement in our failure, but she was looking through her deck, unsure of what to use next. I felt sorry for her as she looked so flustered-

"I'm your enemy right now. Don't feel sorry for it."

Well, fine then. I turned to the Celestial. "Tenshi, keep Reisen's weather going for as long as you can."

"Kyon still has the pictures of Mikuru hidden away on the current Brigade's computer."

I clenched my fist, as I turned back to the mind reader, my face burning. Really?! You said things are better left private!

Though she was still shaky about having to use random cards, she gave me a smug look. "I'm a satori. I'll bring out your weaknesses during a fight."

My personal... hobbies have nothing to do with this fight!

"You should have known the consequences of using my weakness against me. I'll do what I can to win too. This is a fight. Fights only end with one side left standing."

You revealing personal stuff has absolutely nothing to do with you winning! If anything, I'm just gonna come at you harder!

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "TRIP TO THE OLD STATION"]

Okay, screw this! My anger immediately gone and replaced by trauma of watching what happened to Mokou, I instantly patted on Marisa's shoulder and hurriedly begged her to get moving. She complied, as she must have shared my sentiment. Back then, neither of us reacted well to Mokou's body being reduced to... chunks and liquid upon getting hit by that train Yukari used years ago.

I have to say, Satori got lucky in getting such a traumatic card due to random chance.

We could hear the train coming closer, but I couldn't tell from where. The massive room we were in had enough dark corners that were certainly big enough for a train to come barreling in from. Unless Satori would open up a 'portal' and send in a train that way.

Certainly effective at using trauma! I had to calm myself from hyperventilating, struggling to keep my breathing under control.

"You see it?" Marisa's head was looking all around, which was making me worried. If she didn't see it, then how could she dodge?

I shook my head before remembering that I was behind her and she couldn't see me. "Nah!" The acoustics of this room made identifying where the sound was coming from nigh impossible. I eyed the corners, before my eyes fell on Satori.

There was a dark mass forming from behind her, and she had the slightest smirk on her face.

"Satori!" My voice was nearly drowned out as the train came from behind the mind reader, who simply moved out of the way for it to pass her. Thankfully Marisa noticed it too, and holy crap the air displacement of the train made it felt like it brushed against us, pulling us towards it. Missing us, the train crashed past, landing on the ground (which scattered our group - thankfully nobody was hit), before blasting through the wall at the far end. The sound of bending and twisting metal with the crunch of stone reverberated throughout my body.

Marisa had to elbow me in the ribs since I was clenching on her so hard. "Sorry."

I just stared at the massive hole in the wall as the train continued to crash into the abandoned buildings beyond the property of the Palace, before it exploded in a shower of danmaku sparks, taking even more buildings with it. I was shaking from the near miss, but also felt massive relief from the miss as well.

This is supposed to be danmaku! Non-lethal magic attacks! What the hell are you guys doing using trains that hit like that?!

Marisa and I were staring at the damage, before we turned to face Satori again. Her smirk was replaced with disbelief, as she alternated between staring at the card she used and the new hole in her home's wall. She remained silent for several moments, before frowning.

"I-I did say I wanted an exit there, but..." She tossed the card away from her, acting like it was trash. "Not like that."

Reaching for another card, and dodging Marisa's retaliation, the mind reader simply continued with her attacks.

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "OVERTURNING ALL UNDER HEAVEN"]

Oh crap!

Marisa and I were immediately flipped upside down, and purple danmaku started sprinkling from in front, and from behind us. Marisa moved left, almost right into an oncoming shot.

"What the hell is this, ze?!"

"It's one from the future! It disorients you!"

I wondered how pissed Seija would be if someone with power like Satori used her own card against her. For a second anyway. I didn't need-

"Thinking about the future when someone else can read you is rather risky, isn't it?" Satori showed some interest in my thoughts. "So this is the card of the one who took you. That's why it's especially risky."

You'd be less hated if you stopped blurting out other people's thoughts, you know. "Have you no concept of privacy?!"

"Have you forgotten what I am?"

My annoyance levels were going back to their levels that I had them during high school. That should give you an idea of how I was feeling at that point. You make it a chore for people to like you, you know!

Marisa couldn't right herself in the air, no matter how hard she tried to twist us right back up. Really, what could I expect from a spell card from her? "You got this- whoa!" Marisa kept rocking side to side, trying with all her might to right us, making it real difficult for me to hang on. "Calm down! Just get through it!"

"This is too disorienting!"

"You got this!" At least, a future version of her. Though I never found out who actually took on Seija during that incident. "Stop rocking the broom!" Truth is, she had to keep some semblance of control - we were getting grazed big time. I clenched my teeth as a shot rolled down my arm, the electrical shock sending a jarring pain through it that reached my torso. I looked to the group, hoping that the dolls were back up so they could provide some defense - they weren't.

Marisa was letting out curses every time she got grazed, well, we both were, and we were swearing a lot. The witch brought up a spell card, quickly reading it.

Come on, random gods! Give us something good!

[SPELL CARD: STAR SIGN "GRAVITY BEAT"]

Upon hearing that one being used, Marisa quickly grabbed me and swung me off the broom, which was good, because the broom was part of this attack. I hung from Marisa's arm, staring at this card - The broom automatically swung around, before standing straight up, and launching a quick barrage of large blue stars. In half a second, they came down on Satori, exploding at her location, and flinging her against the wall. This was another one of Marisa's quick attacks, too quick for Satori to realistically respond to, even though she had tried to avoid it. With the broom done launching, Marisa swung me back on to her ride. I'd ask how she was able to hang onto me, but peaches and flight. Reimu was able to catch me back in Heaven after that jump.

Marisa flashed one of her toothy confident grins at me. "Got lucky with that one! I'd have used that in this situation anyway!" She then looked around, noticing that we were right side up again. Satori's card was done, and she was against the wall, shaking, her shoulders rising up and down. That had to have-

"I still can fight..." Satori gently pushed herself off the wall, going back to the air. Either she was shaking from the pain of the danmaku hit, or from uncertainty - her face was a mixture of both. That calm confidence of hers from earlier was gone, and she looked like a scared little girl. This was not her ideal situation, where she could read us and take us on accordingly. No, this was what she was afraid of - surprises. She just stared at me as I was thinking about that. "You... you really do feel sorry for me..."

"You're..." Marisa took in a deep breath. "You're fun to fight. It's challenging, ze. Though using your weakness is kinda... boring right now."

Satori gave a slight smile as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "You really are strange humans. Strange humans with beautiful hearts."

"Can't this fight-"

"Be over?" Satori merely shook her head. "You already know why it can't be over."

"You can't win this. The cards are random. This isn't to your advantage at all."

Satori continued her stare, before frowning. "No... no this isn't random." She reached into her skirt's pocket. "This is game over."

[SPELL CARD: RECOLLECTION "DELETED ONE"]

What?! No! No! It was the card she pocketed earlier after seeing what it was! There wasn't a way for it to be random!

The sand was swirling in the air from the card. She began to form, like how I pictured her in my traumatic memories of that time. The crazed school girl trying to kill me.

My grip around Marisa tightened up, no amount of 'calm down' from her was working. This was the one thing I forgot about - Satori could use the Deleted One spell card.

"You didn't expect me, did you?" Asakura smiled happily, the right side of her face bright from the stained glass window shining down on her.

No, dammit no! I don't want to-

"There is something I need you for. I want to ask you something. You know, humans always say, 'It's better to regret something you did than to regret something you didn't do.' What's your opinion on that?"

What?

Ryoko stood/floated there, reciting what I remembered of our conversation, smiling all the time. Her hands were behind her back, where I knew her knife was. Ryoko was saying her lines even without my input, exactly how I remember it.

"I see..." I gulped, understanding something, which gave me some calm. "This isn't the actual card I use. This is based off how I remember being attacked."

Marisa looked back at me, then back at Ryoko, then back to me, flashing a grin. "Hey, you up for going back to that and actually defeating her?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some trauma from that event." Satori, you are very cheeky. I can see that you really do earn some of that hatred. The more I stared at this danmaku familiar of Ryoko, I could feel a rising fire in my heart.

Sure, it was from my nightmares, but now I can actually stand up for myself. I'm superhuman right now, and I'm not alone.

I didn't have to be held down by my trauma. I... no, we could take her on. Both of us could overcome my trauma.

"I've grown quite tired of observing a static subject, so..."

"Why don't you just shut the hell up and bring it on, Ryoko?" For a second, I didn't even believe I blurted that out. I took in a deep breath, patting Marisa on the shoulder.

I had to stand up to this. I could stand up to this.

The interface blinked, before grinning a devilishly evil grin, where her face was contorted like she was straight from some horror manga. Her grin revealed twisted teeth, the corners of her mouth literally going ear to ear, her eyes glowing blood red. Of course, that wasn't actually how it happened. It's just that's how it is in my warped mind. I've heard that when people suffer from trauma regarding other persons, those persons are remembered as monsters. This Ryoko was definitely my monster. It took me several training matches with Nagato and Ryoko for me to get used to my former classmate, and even then I was still forever wary of her. How could I not? Even in that alternate universe she managed to stab me. Even when she was on my side against Suou in the outside world, she held her knife to me.

Ryoko is my monster. My trauma.

You know what, Satori? Fine. I'll beat my trauma down. I'll overcome her. Let's do this, Marisa.

"I'll kill you and see how Haruhi Suzumiya reacts!"

"You're gonna fail like you did before, you worthless interface."

"Tell her, ze!"

Just like she did in the past, Ryoko came right for me, but her knife was way bigger than it actually was back then. The trauma upgraded it to a machete with a serrated sawback.

Things really are worse when you look back at them, aren't they?

Of course, since I was able to dodge it back then, Marisa easily dodged it, whipping us around the interface. That's the difference here, Ryoko. We're seasoned veterans of this stuff. Well, Marisa is. Also, we had the peaches giving our bodies the super human boost, including reaction time. I could feel Marisa's body go semi-tense, but it was loose. Her focus on the enemy allowed us to easily dodge that. Where I 'barely' dodged back then, we were long gone before Ryoko arrived at our initial position in this iteration.

I had to remember as well - this was just a danmaku familiar. The actual Ryoko was in my pocket as a spell card herself.

Down below, I overheard Reimu ask Tenshi to end the weather effect. Didn't know why, but I figured Reimu had a plan.

"Stop joking around," I quipped, dripping it with so much sarcasm that even I cringed. "You didn't even come near me that time. Though even though that knife is fake, it is scarier than I remember."

"You think this is a joke?" Ryoko wicked-smiled from her position. Her voice had warped into an echo, part of it sounded like she was grating on metal as she spoke. She tapped the machete on her shoulder. "You don't want to die? You don't want to be killed? I really don't understand the concept of death for organic life forms."

"I hope you understand the concept of failure. I mean, you're rather intimate with it, after all."

"Why you antagonizing her, ze? This is based off your memory of it. She can't hear you."

"I know, it's just good to finally say this to her face."

Marisa shook her head. "Man, she really got to you, didn't she." That was more of a statement than a question.

"She did almost kill me. Hell, she did stab me in an alternate universe. That freaking hurt." I didn't say 'freaking.'

"-Because I truly want you to die."

I blinked, realizing what came next. Marisa was getting ready to move, but I tapped her shoulder. "She changed the wall behind me - wall of danmaku!"

We almost backed into it - the glowing wall behind us. The area we were in had shrunk - this spell card was also a containment, since my trauma was being contained in that room with her. This was a warped version of the classroom in the air, trapping the two of us with this Ryoko. I started to panic, as I remembered how much this whole thing escalated, until I realized that this was a spell card. It's supposed to be survivable. That's the rule.

"Lead me through this, ze, cause I don't really remember what you went through!"

Right. I doubt anybody could have seen what was going on, even when Nagato broke through. The classroom was under Ryoko's-

"-Is now under my data jurisdiction. Escape routes have been blocked. It was trivial to do. The structures on this planet can be altered with some slight tweaking to the data for molecular bonds. The classroom is now sealed. No one can enter or leave."

Yeah, that. So this was a containment. Contained with my trauma.

"Come on, just give up. The result will be the same in the end."

"You mean you being a failure?" I know I really shouldn't be flinging insults and antagonizing people, but this just felt so good to do. I was at a point where I can go back and taunt someone who inflicted such trauma at me. With Marisa at my side, I could stand up to her.

I shot another look at Ryoko, and she was getting even worse. Blood was starting to drip from her eyes and mouth, really cranking up the 'monster' factor. Satori, you are really good at taking advantage of trauma!

Ryoko started to advance, and I told Marisa this is where I tried to defend myself by throwing desks at her, and what happened to the desks. The witch tried to recreate it with some star danmaku, and the result was how I remembered it - redirected elsewhere, unharming the interface. At least that's on track.

"It's no use. Didn't I tell you? Right now everything in this classroom moves according to my will."

I was beginning to understand this card more and more. "Seems to be somewhat adhering to how it played out. Time out containment card?"

Marisa nodded. "Possibly. But a time out containment with a familiar? That's gotta be draining to use such a complex one, ze. It even speaks. Never seen that before." Her tone of voice was serious - again her focus was top-notch. We were backing away from Ryoko in her slow advancement in this tight space. Marisa was making sure we weren't backed into a danmaku corner while at the same time waiting for Ryoko's moves. "If she's going through the trouble of recreating the experience, then yeah, just gotta get to the end of the traumatic memory, ze."

"She freezes me in place in a bit. I don't know how that'll be implemented here."

"I should have done-"

My body tensed, "Marisa here it comes!"

The witch was already on the move when she felt my reaction. Our collective reflex avoided a collapse spread shot at our location. You cheeky little so-and-so!

"If you die..." Ryoko paused, staring at us as we moved. "...You... you weren't supposed to..." That wicked grin became a wicked frown. Then a grin, then a frown, back to a grin. Mostly because we went back to that position.

"She's acting funny. Did she do that, ze?'

"No; I think it's because we went against the memory!" The way her face just kept flipping to those emotions kind of freaked me out. It was like she didn't know what to do. Dammit, do we go through what we're supposed to, or do I carve my own path here? Because I knew I survived, but could we finish her off? Then again, if we went off course, who knows how she would react, if she would do something else. I know what I survived. Do I go against that, or do I stick to the script and pray it goes to how I remember?

...

...If this was a traumatic memory, then it'd be traumatic because I did't survive it. Because it's only a trauma if she does get me. I survived this. It was a traumatic experience, yes, but I survived it. She didn't get me this time-

...Get me...

She goes for a stab next. Nagato was there to block it, but not here. And she missed the freezing.

...She gets me.

"Move!"

Marisa rushed forward, just as Ryoko disappeared from in front of us, and I could feel the whoosh of the air behind me, as she aimed right for my back, right where she did stab me from that alternate universe. She didn't hit this time, though.

Cheeky satori! Mixing up elements of both traumatic experiences!

Ryoko clenched her teeth, more blood pouring out her mouth in between them, the eyes going even redder. She showed signs of anger, going back to a smile, then anger.

My monster is upset she's not getting me.

That wasn't important. What was important was what happened next, and I had to tell Marisa. "Barrage. High speed barrage from her. Nagato intercepted them all, but-"

"She's not here, but you got me!" Marisa whipped us around to face Ryoko. "Only a tengu can beat my speed, ze!"

Ryoko outstretched her palm, danmaku school desks, and chairs forming around her, further forming into spears, which then immediately launched for us. This time, I wasn't some punk on the ground cowering in fear as Nagato was doing all the work keeping me safe. This time, I could see them, as well as Marisa.

"It's a while of this, then a collapse shot - Nagato had to take several spears through her body to protect me!"

"I ain't keen on taking shots!"

"Neither am I!"

Marisa's dodging skills were top notch. If we had normal bodies, we may have suffered from severe whiplash with how fast we were moving around, spinning to get through the endless barrage of liquid metal spears.

"You'll cease functioning before that happens!"

"Marisa! Here it comes! Collapse shot!"

"I wonder how long you can last while protecting that thing. Then how about this?"

Marisa brought out a card, being able to see what it was since the random effect was gone. "Protect this!"

[SPELL CARD: LOVE SIGN "WIDE MASTER"]

You made another new Spark?! It was as it sounded. A wide Master Spark, with a burst of random stars around her. It ate up the spears all around us, not one getting through. A few leftovers managed to make their way in, but Shanghai and Hourai took care of them. Wait when did they get back into the fight?! Whatever! They're here for defense! Our group back on the ground weren't just standing around - they managed to get the dolls back into the fight.

I felt elated, until I recalled what happens next. "She's going to extend her arms - she impaled Nagato here!" I did not want to see that happen to Marisa.

"Not happening!"

Marisa quickly ended the card, Ryoko already extending her arms right for us, to which Marisa just sped up towards the interface, flipping us upside down, and she aimed her mini-Hakkero.

Right for Ryoko's face.

Ryoko's eyes widened. "Impossible!"

[SPELL CARD: LOVE SIGN "NON-DIRECTIONAL LASER"]

Ryoko finally got hit by a shot, her body being cut to pieces with the rotating lasers, to which Marisa cancelled her card when the process was done. This monster Ryoko was reduced to data sand, drifting to the wind, and she stared right at me as she disappeared. That's going to give me interesting nightmares. The containment walls around us shattered as well due to the lasers, bringing us back to the hall. Marisa took a half a second to see where we were, then she took off, right for Satori.

The youkai was breathing heavily, looking absolutely tired. That complex card took everything out of her. All three of her eyes widened as she saw us come up to her, and to what Marisa had out.

[SPELL CARD: MAGICANNON "FINAL MASTER SPARK"]

And I added my Doll Spark into it.

Satori disappeared into the light of our combined spark, and the light meant my eyes had to readjust to the darkness of the room. When my eyes readjusted, I saw Satori on the ground, out cold.

I let out one long sigh, leaning back, almost forgetting that I had no backing and nearly falling off the broom.

"I think we passed the test, ze." Marisa grinned back at me, her shoulders heaving up and down showing her fatigue. "That Ryoko fight was interesting. I probably could have taken her on."

"Maybe..." I kept my eyes on Satori. The animals that were ushered out of there began to wander in to their master, finally leaving the Stranger. The animals showed concern, encircling their master, some animals licking her or nudging her to get up.

They just blindly love her. Or... no. Satori can understand animals. She can give them their proper attention. She may have too many, but she can communicate with them properly. Read what they want or need. That's why they love her.

...

...That's not healthy.

Meiling walked outside again, as she had been constantly doing. Mystia's lunch was amazing, as was the usual. Meiling loved going to the night sparrow's stand in the night for a meal and a drink after her shift. The guard gave another nod to Letty, who was still stationed at the blowhole, as Meiling began to do her walk around the area. Even in a place not her home, she still couldn't bring herself out of her patrolling habits. The snow had begun to pick up, adding about four centimeters to what was already on the ground. Walking up to the blowhole, she casually looked to it, expecting the runes to appear.

They did not.

She stood, stunned for a second, before running to it, shouting at the Yuki-onna. "The runes are off! Get everyone!"

Letty, wide eyed at what she saw, nodded, before going to the building.

What the heck is this?! Lady Patch didn't dispel them, so what's going on?! Meiling was taking advantage of this, however. She already dropped into the blowhole-

And the runes reappeared above her after she entered.

The group inside had come out, and stared at her from above.

"How'd you-?"

Meiling gave a shrug. "Think I know? Maybe it faltered!" She looked down into the darkness of the hole. "I'm going on ahead, okay? Send someone to the Mansion to tell them I managed to get in!"

With that, Meiling dropped down into the earth, not sure what to make of this. Why? If we did this, it'd be off and everyone would be getting in. Fear ran through her body when something crossed her mind. Unless... unless the person who did this undid it for a reason.

She couldn't dwell on that. She had to move on, and help Sakuya.

"You sure this is the right way?"

Kyouko raised an eyebrow at him. "It's a Gothic castle with an elevator going down. If anything, this totally looks like the goal."

Fujiwara sneered at her. "I just want to make sure. We wasted so much time getting lost in those tunnels. We should have been at the end by now."

Kyouko scowled right back. "You were the one who was leading us! I was following you, you righteous idiot!" Even though he had a gun, Kyouko was already past frustrated with him and his bad attitude. "We're almost there, okay? We have to be, and we can end this." I can't get away from you fast enough. I've forgotten what a bastard you are.

"Look, just gotta shoot the bad guy with this, and it'll be all over."

"That simple, eh? The 'amazing hero from the future solves everything', huh?"

"You should be grateful that-"

"You should be grateful that you're using my ability to get ahead of the Brigade. Unless you want to join them? I can kick you out of this closed space, you know. I'm sure Kyon would love to meet up with you again, tough guy!"

Fujiwara glared at her for a moment, before recomposing himself. He looked away, clearing his throat. "If you think I'm afraid of that primitive idiot, you've got another thing coming."

"Koizumi told me he's stronger now. I'd like to see him beat you down." Kyouko crossed her arms. "Come on, I can. I'll drop us into the proper former Hell, and we can meet up with the Brigade."

Fujiwara grumbled. "No need for that. Let's just go."

Yukari sat up quickly, a chill running down her body. She couldn't explain it, but she again felt that she had instantly lost, that the mistake she thought she made had just cost her everything.

She absentmindedly stared at Patchouli, who had been poring over Greek writings and myths concerning Hecatia. Even some of the others were helping in that regard - Eirin and Alice had surrounded her, reading on their own. Since they figured out their enemy, they were doing research.

Why am I feeling like this? What did I miss?! I missed something, didn't I?! Noticing the looks of concern of those in the room, Yukari excused herself, her mind already going through the angles of attack. No, we sent everyone that we could down there. Haruhi is protected by Ran and Emiri, we have more people waiting in reserve to join the group, and we even have Kyouko and Fuji-

Yukari didn't even pretend to hold herself back. She immediately opened a portal, going to the entrance of the blowhole. Another quick portal, and she entered the dead closed space that was created by Sasaki. Even in this world, she noticed the two tracks, one male, one female. They were long gone, already underground via their closed space travel. As Yukari moved-

The runes appeared as she got close. Hecatia sealed it off in this realm too?! Yukari had tried to play it off, pretending not to know about Fujiwara's gambit, hoping that she could use this as a backdoor in a bit. But no, even in this closed space, there were defenses. Instinctively, Yukari grabbed for her cell phone, but it wouldn't work in this closed space. It wasn't set up like she set up Gensokyo for the phones she and her servants had. Yukari stood there, staring at the runes in the air, doing her best to keep her composure.

Hecatia knew. She's ready for Kyouko and Fujiwara. Those two are going to get killed... Yukari had no way of contacting those two.

Yukari reentered Gensokyo, not caring about the stares of the others when-

*beep*

Her phone vibrated, and she looked down at it. A message, exactly when she entered the closed space.

One look at it and she opened another portal.

"Satori..."

"..." The mind reader was slowly recovering from her fall, on her knees, still surrounded by her pets. We had already landed, being congratulated on a job well done in taking on Satori and winning. Especially so from the orb - Suika was definitely impressed.

Well, mostly congratulations to Marisa. Ever since the girls heard about my secret, they were giving me space. This better not be a falling out flag.

I approached Satori, but stopped a ways away when her pets turned their attention to me. Some of the cats hissed and the dogs growled. I don't mean her any harm. I already defeated her.

"You sure did." Satori struggled to stand, placing her hands on the agitated animals. "It's okay." Despite that, they still kept their eyes on me.

"Can I say something?"

"...You're free to think it." Satori frowned, because she must have read what I was going to say.

"I'd rather say it. Some things need to be said."

"You think there's something wrong with me."

I referenced to her pets. "I don't think it. I know it. There's something wrong with you and your sister. But from where I am, you, mostly. Staying cooped up in here isn't healthy, mentally or physically."

"I'd rather avoid-"

"I know that, but all you're doing is circling yourself with nothing but positive-"

"Reinforcement with my pets."

Kazami was right - it is frustrating for you to be finishing sentences. "They just love you unconditionally. I mean, I'll admit from first hand experience. It's fine to come home and get some love from a pet, but-"

"-Surrounding myself with nothing but this isn't healthy?"

"No. You need to be out there."

"Where people hate me?"

"They need to understand you."

"You don't get it-"

"Do you sense any true hatred in my heart over you?"

"..."

"I'll take your silence-"

"It's not that simple."

Are you intentionally trying to be frustrating?! "How the hell isn't it simple?"

"You don't know the things that destroyed my sister. I was there, and I heard a lot of what she heard, and I felt the pain she felt. It was too much for her to handle. I was able to handle it, but-"

"And she became something else." I took in a deep breath. "Sure you can be a bit annoying with your ability, but it's not your fault. You're born like this. That's because I understand you. The idiots who hate you are the ones who don't understand. You understood this. Your sister didn't."

"You blaming my sister?"

"Read my mind and tell me if I am."

"..."

Of course I'm not blaming your sister. I can't even imagine what it's like to be told constantly in the minds of everyone around you that they hate you. "It was a bad situation. And she let it get to her. She saw all the hatred and let it get to her, and she disfigured herself."

Satori glared at me for even saying that. "...You don't know me or my sister."

"So it's fair when you can know me?" I looked around at the collection of animals around us. "I can make a guess as to how you are just from the state of how you live. You live alone in here with these animals. You're a shut in. Am I wrong?"

"..."

"I'll take that as a yes, but I see you're annoyed. You're not the only one who can read people, you know." I decided a different approach. "Satori, when you think of your sister, do you think of her as her old self?"

"...You're going to compare her to your sister."

"That's right. When I think of my sister, most of what I can remember is her as a kid. I mean, she's growing up now, but she'll always be my little sister. You haven't seen her in a while, but she's obviously changed. What are you going to expect of her? She'll still be what you remember of her? Or you going to accept that she changed." I took in a deep breath. "And honestly, I still... yeah, I still think of Asahina as that really cute girl. Part of me... likes remembering how good she looks. But I also remember her as she was that way. Wrong pictures to remember her by, yes. I'll admit that it was wrong and I won't excuse it because I can't. I also have memories of her future self, and to my knowledge, by all means I won't see her future self again unless she deems it necessary. We spent two years together in the brigade, and she had to go due to circumstances beyond my control. I do miss her, both young and grown up." I looked over to the girls, knowing that I was in for some serious ribbing later. There was going to be some fallout from this, I could tell with the slight disapproval they had on their faces.

I'm not going to excuse it. I should have gotten rid of them a long time ago and I simply didn't due to my own selfish vice.

...Seriously what the hell am I doing still hanging on to those pictures?

Not the time. I'll beat myself up later over that. I'm getting sidetracked.

"..."

"Or-"

"Can you please stop?"

"No. Or do you not want to accept Koishi as she is? Because that would be accepting that she became something else because of her self hatred? She's obviously not what she used to be." What am I even saying right now? "That's you right now, Satori. If I had to say something? You're stagnant right now. I appreciate you testing me, so I'm being very frank with my opinion on you, since, you know, you decided to let a secret of mine out. Because, well, you're going to hear my opinion on you anyway with you being a mind reader. Barring you letting others know their secrets, you're a nice person, Satori. It's a shame that everyone down here can't see it."

She just stared at me, slight disbelief on her face. "You really don't hate me. Even when I said that, you don't have hatred in your heart."

"Admittedly I'm upset and annoyed with you, but no. I don't hate you." I gave her a crooked smile. "Okay, maybe I hate you a little. I mean, really? Did you have to say that aloud?"

Satori looked to me, then to my group, before giving a nod. "Okay. So in fairness, would you like to hear their dark secrets then?"

"Wait what?!" Sakuya exclaimed. She was the one giving me the most judging look earlier.

Satori moved to me, smirking. "For instance, Sakuya is wearing that black lace again today. She considers it her lucky undergarments for incident resolving."

The maid immediately blushed, her hands going to her skirt as to hold them in place from a strong wind. "H-h-how did Kyon see them? Did he peep-"

"You flew over him when you were fighting the night sparrow. You showed them off yourself. Gave him a perfect view that burned into his memory."

Sakuya got even redder, and the other girls began to blush.

[Remilia:] "That was like four years ago wasn't it? You still wear stuff that old?"

Satori was smugly smiling at me. "Would you like to know more? I think the other girls are going to-"

"No no no no! There's no need! We're not gonna judge him!" That was Reisen, who looked panicked.

I couldn't help but smile back at Satori. "You little devil you." And thank you. What you did was probably going to give me hell later on.

"I figured I-" Satori trailed off, staring at the glass door to the elevator.

Everyone's attention turned to it.

From behind the doors, at the elevator, stood a young woman, a cat-girl. She had bright red hair that were in twin braids that had black ribbons at the top and bottom of them. As a cat girl, she, like Chen, had two cat ears. But where Chen looked like a cute kid, this girl was a rather... alluring woman. Her black gothic lolita dress was kind of mesmerizing, and she had a black ribbon wrapped around her left leg.

"Rin?" Satori stepped toward the glass, and the girl, Rin, the kasha, opened her eyes.

They were full of static.

Grinning at us, Rin went to the lift, and activated it, going down into the depths of the underground. We couldn't do anything, since runes appeared over the glass, keeping us from getting through.

"You guys need anything?" Tsuruya quietly said as she smiled at the two in her room who were watching the news on the TV, trying not to wake up Haruhi. "Like, tea, coffee? I gotta get going to my date with-"

"No thank you." Emiri smiled at her. "I'm fine."

Tsuruya nodded, before turning her attention to the fox. "And..." She fidgeted. "Uhm, do you want some fried tofu or whatever? I mean, you guys are supposed to like that, right?"

Ran smiled. "We do. It sounds good, but you don't have to - I sent Chen to go get some. I could go for some coffee though." Ran stretched a bit, showing some tiredness.

"Vending machine's got canned coffee, that okay?" After getting an affirmative from Ran, Tsuruya happily left, humming various Christmas jingles as she made her way to the vending machines in the dorms. She was cutting it close, having to put off going out with Kunikida until those two got situated in. I mean, they are trying to save the world and they have to protect Haruhi, so my little date can wait. She was getting used to this stuff, and she shook her head when she tried to understand how such a timid person like Mikuru could handle all this. That mental conditioning that they go through in the future must be something else. Of course, she was still worried and anxious over the disappearance of Yuki, but there was nothing she could have done about it. All she could do was hope that this worked out in the end, like it always did for the Brigade. It should. Sasaki nor Haruhi would want something bad to happen to this world. I mean, if those two don't want it to happen, it won't, right?

The dorms were pretty empty, all the girls being out with their boyfriends, or friends, or getting a coffee at the cafe. Probably even at the theater watching that matinee that started hours ago. The only ones there were Tsuruya's group and Sasaki's. It felt kind of creepy to have the dorms all to themselves.

Tsuruya texted Kunikida that she was almost ready to go out as she got the coffee, before she got three more cans. It would have been rude to not get Emiri anything, even though she probably wouldn't even need it. All this time with such creatures and Tsuruya still didn't fully understand the interfaces. And Haruhi would be really groggy waking up from such a nap. And of course one for Tsuruya herself. Standing guard over someone who's asleep makes one want to nap themselves. Letting out a yawn, Tsuruya began making her way back to the room, when she heard a loud thump, followed by-

Amaya had rounded the corner, her right arm missing and bruises all over her body. The interface collapsed, letting out a grunt.

Tsuruya dropped the cans, rushing to her side. The interface was bleeding, a small pool of blood beginning to form where the arm was.

"...Yukari..."

"Amaya?! What happened?! You're bleeding all over the place!"

"...Call...Yukari... Sasaki... taken..."

"But-"

"I'm... fine... help Sasaki..." The interface's body went limp, but she was still breathing. Tsuruya stood there in shock for a few seconds, before she ran down the hallway to Sasaki's room - and the door was wide open. Black soot covered the room which was in total disarray. In fact, everything was upside down - the beds were fixed to the ceiling as if they'd been bolted there, sheets and all, and the television set was cracked as though it had been thrown up there by force. It was so bizarre, adding to the shock that Tsuruya was already fighting to maintain, almost making her not notice that Sasaki wasn't in the room. Tsuruya brought out her cell phone when a feeling of dread came over her. She sent the message as she ran down the hallway back to her room, hoping to God that-

Something crashed through the door to Tsuruya and Haruhi's room, like it was flung by a catapult. It took her a second, but Tsuruya recognized it as Ran, letting out small grunts. The door became unhinged, falling to the ground a beat later. Shaking, Ran lifted up her arm towards the door-

A barrage of colorful lights went right at the fox, pouring out the doorway. Ran let out a choking gasp before being silenced.

In fact, it was silent. After that, there were no sounds at all. Tsuruya only heard the sound of her beating heart in her ears, staring at the door, too afraid to move.

"...Ha...Haruhi..."

It was Emiri, weakly speaking from inside the room. Tsuruya gulped, knowing that she was definitely in trouble, and that she couldn't leave her. Mustering the courage, she crept closer to the open door, noticing that Ran was still breathing as well. That danmaku stuff? It's supposed to knock you out, but is deadly to interfaces. Which meant that it was someone from Gensokyo. Again, Tsuruya messaged Yukari, just as she got to the door.

Emiri was the first thing she saw, and she was in critical shape, bleeding from various points, and having bruising on almost every inch of her body. Her labored breathing put a primal fear into Tsuruya, making her want to run to safety, but she persisted. She had to continue looking into the room.

It too was turned upside down.

And she didn't see anybody else.

Not even Haruhi.

Fujiwara was right when he described this room. It was... depressing. Nothing at all a god should spend their days, much less years, in. If it wasn't for the saturation of power...

She had to become a vessel for it to work. And staying in such a place was acclimating her body for it. It was so troublesome. Killing the two of them to try to become the vessel for their powers was such a waste. Each instance of a universe existed on their own frequency. Humanity got it right when they invented the radio and television broadcasting. One of the few things that their drive for technology gave out a positive. The rules of the multiverse weren't as clear cut as one would think.

No, staying in the various club rooms across different instances was the way. The last time they did it, it almost took. It almost happened. She could feel the power swelling in her body, until it left her, like it rejected her. She was almost there.

And finally, finally when this is all over, we can stop wiping out all those instances.

Clownpiece was right, however. Kyon always had a knack for surviving until the end. Sure, he died like the rest of them. Just such a waste of lives so she could become perfect.

...What am I now? Hundreds of Billions? Trillions? The kill count is so high. We've done this so many times.

Each world had about seven billion people in them. And everyone in those instances all died each and every time when Haruhi and Sasaki's powers didn't take. What a waste.

They had to die for them to continue with this.

This was the only way, though. If she could take this power that is being wasted on those two selfish little girls and use it to guide humanity across the rest of the instances...

No. That's worth it. Sacrificing trillions to save so many more was worth it.

It had to be. Otherwise what was all this for?

Hecatia stared forward, already way past the stage of being sick of the club room's setting. She was numb to the smell each carried, the contents of the room, the coloring of the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Sometimes what they contained varied in each instance, but they generally had the same things.

And it was god damned boring.

Well, there were things Hecatia brought into them.

The only thing that didn't change was that stupid little obelisk that stated the head of the Brigade. It was on top of a book, one of the objects she had carried over.

She opened the book, the worn pages already on the part she had been focusing on for such a long time.

I shook my head to clear it of the pointless situation.

"So," I said, my voice finally recovered, "What do you want me to do about it? Transfer Haruhi's power to Sasaki? That's totally impossible."

Kyouko Tachibana looked at me seriously for a while, then giggled. "Not necessarily. If you cooperate, it can be done. If you and Sasaki both say you'll do it. That's all we want. Simple, isn't it?"

Hecatia couldn't help it. She kept re-reading it, as she had endlessly done so for years since starting all this.

"That's totally impossible."

"Not necessarily."

She couldn't stop.

"Transfer... Power... Impossible... Not necessarily."

She closed the book, knowing that was the only problem in the whole plan. If she got the powers, he could take it away via some unidentified process. If only it were made clear, I could avoid it, but...

It was never clear.

That's why he had to die.

Otherwise there was the chance that he could ruin everything. If only the series was totally complete and explained, she could figure out how to avoid it. But it was undefined. And undefined things are dangerous.

This made him dangerous to the whole plan.

Kyon is going to die. Every instance of him will die across the multiverse.

...Every instance in every way. Only total erasure was the solution to this.

Then nobody would get in the way. It was the only way to be sure, for nobody to challenge that power when she got it. She worked so hard to get this, sacrificed so much, so many, that why should she have it taken away?

No.

Kyon was going to die. Otherwise all those that were sacrificed were for nothing.

He had to die, for the future of mankind across every instance.

"Junko."

Her friend appeared from behind. "Yes?"

"Assist Clownpiece. Break their spirits."

=Note on the work in Progress: Grimoire of Marisa=

-Magician Marisa Kirisame is currently compiling a work of all the spell cards she has encountered or seen, whether she has been a part of that fight or not. She is planning to use this book to make herself a better magician, or to sell it if it doesn't. Those are her words.

-Marisa Kirisame has already compiled all the spell cards she has, and she is planning on finishing her book some time after the current incident, so it would cover the spell card use from the Scarlet Mist Incident all the way to this current incident.

-There appears to be no other compilation of knowledge of the spell cards in use in Gensokyo. At least done by a human. As we do not have access to tengu or other non-human areas, we might have no other option when it comes to gathering such data.

-Note: This work could be beneficial for the Data Overmind. Suggest that we await the completion of this work.

-Admin Approval Granted-

-File catalogued by Emiri Kimidori.

You face Rin a lot in SA. She's the midboss in Stage 4, midboss and boss in Stage 5, and midboss again in Stage 6. I think she holds the record for most midboss appearances in a single game.

Read and review. Lady Yukari demands it.