Hi, SAE here. Decided to publish another chapter to see how it goes. It's still a bit short, but I'll try to improve on that. The plot would be radically different from what I planned before, so sorry for that.
Again, if it is possible, please R&R. Any feedback would be appreciated!
Until the next chapter , then.
Touhou Duel Masters Café
Chapter 1 – 10 years after
Duel Masters. A card game that appeared in the Land of the Forgotten as the 13th Hakurei Shrine Maiden took her role. A such, gaining popularity from Gensokyo's residents, the shrine maiden declared that, as the official rule of Gensokyo, Duel Masters would be used to settle disputes and matters.
It has been 11 years since.
This is the story of the residents of Gensokyo, and Duel Masters.
Hakurei Reimu lay in the shrine, her face red from consuming large quantities of sake. A hiccup escaped her lips, as she got up and poured herself another dish of the sake Suika had brought.
Just another festival to celebrate the solving of a recent incident… Those youkai have nothing better to do than just stir trouble and having fun at festivals. Reimu tried to shake off the dizziness and stepped out of the shrine. She looked around, scanning the crowds, but Marisa was nowhere to be seen. The shrine, illuminated by the lamps giving off warm yellow light, was filled with people, drinking sake, conversing and dueling, Everyone was enjoying the loud, friendly atmosphere, despite the summer heat.
Everyday was just the same old, boring routine. It was either sitting around in the shrine and cleaning, or going around solving incidents. She was too lazy to fly around and visit other people. Unless, of course, if they were up for a duel or offered free food. She never declined duels and free food.
Reimu grabbed her head and groaned, which did nothing to ease the throbbing pain in her head.
It has been like this since those two disappeared… Those bastards…
She shook the thought out of her mind. No use thinking about it now.
She and Marisa asked Genji, asked Keine and Mokou, even Yukari, everyone they could contact to see if they knew anything about them, and their whereabouts.
The two learned nothing.
Everyone all told them that they knew nothing.
After years of searching, they gave up. They learnt that the two would never come back.
Reimu resisted smashing her dish on the ground.
Why…? Why did they leave without telling them? Why did they even leave? They had already decided to settle down here…yet…
She took a deep breath to calm herself down. She tried to tell her to stop thinking about it, but it was futile. No matter how many times she pushed the thought into the deepest part of her mind, it resurfaces again.
She grumbled again, and knocked over a small box lying on a drawer. She started out of the shrine, ready to consume more alcohol and numb her mind. Perhaps she should find Suika and have some more of her sake, she thought.
She did not notice three small blobs of light escaping the opened box on the wooden floor, drifting out from the back of the shrine, into the starry night sky.
"I cast Fortification Against Barrage and Ambush!" Marisa revealed a shining card in her hand. The cards in her deck began revealing themselves one by one until Forever Princess, Ruler of Eternity showed itself. "Heh! Now by Fortification's effect I destroy everything that has less power than Forever Princess, which is 7500!"
"Chi…" Remilia gritted her teeth as her Eco Aini and Balga Geyser bounced from her battle zone into her graveyard.
"Then I activate Forever Princess' power! Whenever this card is put into the graveyard, I shuffle it and my graveyard into my deck!" As soon as Marisa finished, her cards in her graveyard went back into her deck and shuffled itself. "Fortification's effect ends. Turn end." The magician placed Fortification Against Barrage and Ambush into her graveyard.
"Don't act so cocky now, girl!" Remilia growled. "My turn! Untap, draw!"
Taking a close look at her drawn card, the vampire smiled. "This is the end for you, Marisa! I summon Balga Raiser, Dragonic Meteor!"
"Speed Attacker huh… As long as your top deck isn't a dragon, it can do nothing!"
"Oh, we'll see about that!" Remilia's smirked. "Now, the crimson dragon races across the battlefield! Behold the proud souls the comet calls forth! Balga Raiser, attack!"
"Whenever Balga Raiser attacks, I reveal the top of my deck! I can put it into the battle zone without cost if it is a dragon!" With a flick of her hand, Remilia's deck top revealed.
"You're out of luck!" The prideful vampire exclaimed. "My deck top is…Beethoven, Zenith of Horror! Your destiny ends next turn, black-white! Break her shields, Balga Raiser!"
"Hmph!" Marisa caught her two broken shields mid-air as they bounced off the table. "Not if I can help it!"
"!? …Shield trigger!?"
"You're right!" Marisa turned one of the cards just added to her hand. "Shield trigger! Intense Vacuuming Twist! With it I look at the top 5 cards of my deck, and from them I add Fortification Against Barrage and Ambush to my hand! Since Fortification is a fire card, I send Beethoven back to your hand!"
"You little…" Remilia started.
"Do you think I'd let you cast Destiny that easily?" Marisa let out a laugh. "You'll have to get through all my spells first!"
"My turn! Untap, draw! …Damn." Marisa clicked her tongue. Evidence of a card coming at a bad timing. "Anyway, I cast Energy Light and draw two cards! Then I cast Hyperspatial White Green Hole and put Victorious Pudding into the battle zone. Since Pudding is a Nature creature, I return Intense Vacuuming Twist from my mana zone to my hand. Also, when Pudding is put into the battle zone, her effect makes Balga Raiser unable to attack or block until my next turn!"
"Ho…I see you've had bad luck drawing. Trying to stall me with removals…but that won't work anymore!" Remilia declared, a triumphant smile on her face. "Untap, draw!"
"Now, dance on the battlefield, Codeking Number Nine!" Tapping 9 cards in her mana zone, Remilia summoned one of her aces. "His text may be simple, but his strength is undeniable!"
"Shit…" Marisa could feel cold sweat on her back. "He's locked all my spells…!"
"I assume you already know how his effect works. Yes… As long as Number Nine is here, you cannot cast any spells!" It was Remilia's turn to laugh now.
That is right. In order to ensure Fortification blasts out a firepower of 7500 every time it is cast, Marisa's deck only has four creatures, and they're all of the same copy.
For a deck that focuses almost entirely on spells, spell locks like Number Nine or Spell De Fin, or spell controls like Gorganshack are fatal. There is little that spell-focused decks can do in the face of these creatures.
"So…it's my loss? I…" The ordinary magician stared at the overwhelming disadvantageous field, a look of regret passing her face. "Losing to spell lock…"
"…" The vampire closed her eyes and sighed. "If you have nothing to do, declare the end of your turn."
"Turn…end…" Marisa could barely squeeze these words out of her teeth.
"...Using Codeking Viola Sonata, Mozart and Wilhelm from my mana zone as evolution bait, I summon Balga Raizou, the Super-Heavenly Nova!" Remilia summoned another one of her aces, the card letting off a bright green aura as it entered the field. "Balga Raizou, atta…"
Her attack was stopped abruptly by the appearance of the shrine maiden.
"Hey, Suika~ Gimme some of your sake~"
The small oni who had been watching the duel silently, perked up. "Oh, you want my sake! Sure!" She was never one to refuse her sake to others. To her, drinking sake was a pleasure, especially drinking with others. She passed her gourd to Reimu, and she took a quick sip of it.
"Uggghhh…" Reimu's face turned even redder. "Hey, Marisa, you come drink with me too!" She started to drag her friend away from the table, and the black-white barely had time to gather up her cards before being pulled out of sight.
"Hey, you're drunk! Stop pulling, hey..." Marisa's complaints fell on deaf ears.
"…" Remilia just stood and watched. "Uh…"
"Wanna duel?" Suika offered helpfully. "Hic…"
"Sure…"
"Ugh…" Reimu shielded her eyes from the sunlight, and pulled her thin blanket over her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to in vain to make the light, and her headache, go away. Beside her lay Marisa, who was sound asleep, sprawled on the floor in a very unladylike manner. The festival has been going on for a whole week now, with no signs of stopping anytime soon.
As her efforts ended in futile, Reimu reluctantly got up from her futon and struggled to pour herself a cup of tea. The tea was hot, and a small trail of steam rose up from the cup it was filled.
"Huh…who brewed this…" Reimu frowned, but shrugged the thought off. "Must be Suika or Yukari…. Hm?"
She thought it was imagination at first, but as she tried to focus, despite the stinging headache, she could hear some faint rustling coming from the deeper parts of the shrine.
"Just who the hell at this time…" Massaging her head, she started towards the noise.
"…Here it is… Huh? This card… what happened to it, this is not supposed to be like this…"
"Don't be making a fuss, just grab them and go. We'll figure it out later."
"Hey, don't be so loud…"
"Who are you!" A sharp voice interrupted their conversation. "What are you doing with those cards!"
All the drowsiness and fatigue vanished the instant Reimu saw those hooded figures holding those cards. Everything was replaced by anger that moment.
"How dare you touch those cards! Put them down and scram! Now!" She demanded. "Or else…"
"Or else what?" One of the figures taunted, but the other patted him on the shoulder
"Miss Shrine Maiden, we have serious business to attend to." The second figure started. "If you would kindly let us go with these cards…"
The ground beside his feet exploded.
"Didn't you hear her? Put them down, and get out of here."
From behind Reimu, Marisa appeared, her eyes devoid of all weariness. In her right hand was her Hakkero, steaming from its center.
"I detect a challenge." The first figure let out a soft chuckle.
"You wouldn't want to face us in duels." Marisa snarled. Her left hand reached into her pocket and took out her deck. "We'll take care of you in a flash."
"…It is inevitable, then. Then we know what we are betting?" The second figure asked.
"If we win, we'll take these with us." The First continued, as he flashed the cards in his hand.
"If we win, leave those cards here. And tell us everything you know about it." The shrine maiden narrowed her eyes and stated her conditions. "Is that clear?"
"Crystal." The Second shrugged. "You ready?"
"Of course I am," the First replied. "Then…"
"Duel Field, open!"
A hemisphere expanded with the two hooded figures as its center, and a chaotic, starry field surrounded the four duelists as they stood on lighted circles, crystalline shields swirling around them.
"Duema, Start!
BGM: Endless Battle (YGO ZeXal Sound Duel 4)
"You've got guts, challenging us to a tag duel." Marisa said. "My turn! Draw! I cast Hyperspatial Emperor Hole, and bring out Thunder Tiger with its effect. With both Emperor Hole's and Thunder Tiger's effect, your Perfect Madonna gets -4000 power and is destroyed!"
The tiger Demon Command slashed at the Alien, and it dissipated into light.
"Hmph." The First didn't seem to care about the destruction of his creature, maintaining his cold and composed demeanor. "My turn, draw."
He glanced quickly at his drawn card, and charged it into his mana zone below his feet. "I cast Hide and Seek! I'll return that Thunder Tiger to your hand."
"Kuh… Psychic creatures are sent back to the Hyperspatial Zone once they leave the battle zone." Marisa winced as her creature was sucked into a dark portal and disappeared from the battle zone.
"Then I discard 1 card from your hand." The First continued. "…That one."
"…!" A pulse of energy forced one of Marisa's cards out of her hand. "Barrage!"
"Turn End."
"My turn, draw!" Reimu started her turn. "I cast Hyperspatial Faerie Hole and put my top deck into my mana zone. Then with Faerie Hole's second effect I put 2 Kutt, Temporal Brawler into my battle zone!"
The two red Humanoids materialized, swinging their tonfas and ready to battle.
Reimu peered at her cards. Next turn I'll summon Acid and end this… A smile flickered across her lips. "Turn end."
"Getting confident, are we?" The Second smirked. "My turn."
"I summon Hot Spring Crimson Meow, and draw 1 card with his effect." The Flame Monster/Blue Monster hybrid appeared from a whirlpool of water and flame, growling at the two girls.
"I then summon School Man! I destroy him and Crimson Meow, and one of my opponents must destroy one of her creatures. You're the target, Hakurei Reimu!"
"…I destroy Kutt." Annoyance crept onto Reimu's face, and one of the Humanoids was engulfed in the explosion created by the Hedrian along with Crimson Meow.
"I activate Unified Shachihoko's effect! Whenever one of my none-Psychic creatures are destroyed, I can put a cost 7 or under Psychic creature that is either Fire, Light or Darkness into the battle zone!"
"Ku…" Marisa clenched her fists. "That makes two…!"
"You're absolutely correct! I put Thunder Tiger and Intense World! Shachihoko Kaiser into the battle zone! Come, my Psychic creatures!" The Second announced.
"…Thunder Tiger…!" The creature that Marisa previously called upon appeared once more, but not on her field, along with the Rainbow Command Dragon, howling in rage.
"With Thunder Tiger's effect, the remaining Kutt gets -2000 power and is destroyed too!"
The second Humanoid was slashed to pieces by Thunder Tiger, and Reimu grunted as she shielded herself from the explosion created shortly thereafter.
"If you had called on Untouchable, you could at least have one of your creatures stay."
Reimu just growled in response.
"My turn!" Marisa announced. "Draw!"
Damn… Fortification just had to be discarded… Marisa pursed her lips. Then…
"How about this!" Tapping 5 cards in her mana zone, she declared her next action. "I cast Persistent Prison of Gaia! Be gone, Unified Shachihoko Kaiser!"
The Dragon let out a agonized roar as it was sent back to the Second's hand and vanished from view.
"Then I discard one card from your hand! If that card has the same name as the returned creature, I can burn send one of your shields to your graveyard!" The magician continued. "I choose that card!"
"…" One card from The Second's hand dropped into his graveyard. "Jenny, Suicide Doll."
"Damn! Missed!" Marisa could barely hold in her frustration.
"Just what the hell are these people? Snatching cards as they please, and expanding this field of some sort…"
"You aren't in any position to tell people off for stealing, Kirisame Marisa." The Second said coldly.
"Shut up! We'll take care of you you soon enough! And then you'll be sorry that you were ever born!"
"We'll see about that. My turn!" The First drew a card and sent another card in his hand to his mana zone.
BGM: Heraldic Beasts Show Their Fangs (YGO ZeXal Sound Duel 3)
"Let's see how you handle this. Come forth, my ace!" 7 cards in his mana zone tapped themselves as The First held out a card bathed in white light. "The Sacred Flame descends upon the Earth, leading me to Honor and Victory! Wipe out all evil with your breath!"
"Bolmeteus Steel Dragon!"
A tornado of flame was whipped up, dispersing its heat over the whole duel field. Reimu could barely see forward as the strong gust blew around, and both girls had to shut their eyes tightly as the tornado raged.
When the wind weakened, a majestic cry erupted from the dying tornado's center. The wind dispersed in an instant, as the legendary Armored Dragon spread his wings and let out an earsplitting roar.
"Bolmeteus…Steel Dragon!" Marisa could only stare at the Dragon, jaws wide open, having never seen it materialize right before her eyes. The Dragon, clad in white and blue armor, glowered at them, the cannon on his back shimmering in energy.
"I'm sure you know what it does. A Double Breaking Shield Burner, the first of them!" The First could hardly contain the pride in his voice. "Let's end this fast."
"In our victory, of course!" Reimu started her turn. "I cast Terror Pit!"
A giant hand reached towards the Armored Dragon, and held Bolmeteus tightly in its grasp, crushing him as he exploded.
"As long as it can't attack, we've got nothing to fear." The shrine maiden pointed at The First, smiling. "We'll crush anything you throw at us."
Only silence responded her taunt.
"My turn!" The Second said. "Mana Charge. I summon Phal Pierro, Apocalyptic Guardian and destroy him with his effect, then return Formation in the Springs from my graveyard to my hand."
The Guardian vanished as the spell flew back into the Second's hand.
"Unified Shachihoko's effect! I put Intense World! Shachihoko Kaiser into my battle zone!" He announced as the Alien once again materialized. "I then cast Formation in the Springs and revive Phal Pierro. I activate his effect once more!"
"…Loop!" Marisa could feel a cold chill run down her spine.
"With Unified Shachihoko's effect, I put Intense Boiling! Hot Spring Gallows into my battle zone!" Upon his call, the Flame Command and Cyber Command Hybrid appeared, flailing his four arms of flame and torrent.
"…He's aiming for Psychic Link!" Marisa realized. "We have to get rid of him fast…!"
"Draw!...Ku…" She winced at her drawn card.
"I cast Emergency Typhoon! With its effect I draw two cards and discard one card!"
"Hand exchange…?" The Second murmured quietly. "No… Grave fattening!"
"1 discard Bone Dance Charger! Then, since there 9 spells in my graveyard, I summon Fernando the 7th, Emperor of Mystic Light for just 2 mana!"
"Come, Knight of Despair! Destroy your foes with your black magic, and trample down anything that stops you!" Marisa chanted, as the lance-wielding Demon Command materialized, mounting his beloved horse and striking the space in front of him with his weapon.
""I cast Energy Stream and draw 2 cards! Let's see if you can handle this now!" Marisa grinned and ended her turn.
"We're racing against time. We need to finish this fast." The Second turned to The First.
"Yeah." His companion nodded. "My turn."
BGM:Tyranny of Howling Rage (7th Dragon 2020 OST)
"I cast Hyperspatial Dravita Hole and salvage a cost 3 or less spell from my graveyard. I return Energy Stream. And with Dravita Hole's second effect I bring out Galaxy, Temporal Immortal from my Hyperspatial Zone!"
The reincarnation of the legendary immortal Angel Command appeared, giving off a bright light as he took form.
"Chi…tricky." Marisa spat. As Galaxy would Awaken the moment he leaves the battle zone, getting rid of him would take some effort.
"I haven't finished yet." The First continued. "I cast Rapid Renicarnation!"
"Wha…!"
"I destroy Galaxy, and since he leaves the battle zone, he Awakens into King Of Galaxy instead. But that's not the point. Using Rapid Reincarnation's effect, I put a creature with a cost less than the number of cards in my mana zone, which is 8,from my hand to the battle zone!"
"King of Galaxy, evolve!"
"…..!" Both Reimu and Marisa were shocked at this action. Calling forth an evolution creature from a previously empty field…!
"O servant of God, the Lord of Spirits of Intelligence! Bathe all with your light and cleanse the battlefield! Purge all evil with your holy spear! Come forth!"
King of Galaxy became encased in a sphere branded with the mark of evolution, and the sphere grew brighter and larger with every passing second.
"Alcadeias, Lord of Spirits!"
The seal broke, and from it, the Lord of Spirits emerged. His golden armor shimmering, mantle fluttering, and wings of white letting of blinding light. His presence alone struck awe into those present.
"Alcadeias…!" Reimu's heart sank. "Forbidding all spells except for the holy power…!"
"Alcadeias, Double Break Marisa's shields!" The Lord of Spirits obeyed, rushing at the magician, and with a thrust of his right hand shattered two of Marisa's shields. She could only brace herself from the impact, and the shield fragments reformed as cards in her hand.
"Shield Trigg…!"
"It's futile. As long as Alcadeias is on the field, no one can cast spells, except for Light spells." The First informed Marisa. "Kneel and cower before the wrath of the Lord of Spirits! You can do nothing now, Kirisame Marisa."
"My deck… has no Light spells…" Marisa's voice trembled, as her vision shifted from the Angel Command back to her trembling hands. "But, I still have Fernando!" She cried.
The First turned to Reimu. " The same applies to you, Hakurei Reimu."
"The duel hasn't ended yet!" She promptly retorted. "As that guy said, nothing is certain until the very end of a duel!"
"…" The First gave no answer.
"My turn! I summon Alternative, Sacred Cavalry!" Reimu cried as the Oraclion appeared in front of her, swiveling his spear and letting out a loud bellow.
"With his effect, Intense World! Shachihoko Kaiser gets -6000 power, and gets destroyed!"
Alternative charged at the Rainbow Command Dragon, spearing him with high velocity as the Psychic Shachihoko dispersed into light particles.
"Hmph. You can still get rid of my creatures under these circumstances. I'll praise you for that." The Second started his turn. "I summon Hot Springs Crimson Meow, and draw a card. Then I with Crimson Meow as evolution bait, I summon this guy again!"
In response, Crimson Meow started to glow and became encased in the Sphere of Evolution.
"The Rainbow Command Dragon of Terror, appear again and unify the world under your might! Raze all with your power!"
"Unified Shachihoko Kaiser!"
The Alien dragon once again descended, his mouth spewing flames, roaring at his opponents.
"Shachihoko, break Kirisame Marisa's shields!" Under The Second's order, Shachihoko Kiaser took a deep breath, and as an energy ball formed in front of his mouth, he fired an enormous beam at Marisa, vanquishing the last of her shields.
"I… am going to lose like this…?" Marisa's vision blurred. "Again?" She bit her lip as she stared at last of her shields that were added to her hand. She fiercely shut her eyes in regret and anger.
Super Flaming Hell's Scrapper and Spiral Gate.
Even they cannot save her from defeat now.
"Thunder Tiger, direct attack on Marisa!"
With a heavy blow of his claws, the Demon Command knocked Marisa out, and as the unconscious blonde vanished from the Duel Field, so did Fernando.
"Now, only you are left, Hakurei Reimu."
BGM: Barian's Force (YGO ZeXal Sound Duel 4)
"I told you, I haven't lost just yet!" Reimu stared at her opponents in contempt. "I summon Acid, New Century!"
The four-armed, snake-bodied Oraclion formed next to her.
"Alternative, destroy Thunder Tiger!" Her creature obeyed, slashing right through the tiger and annihilating him.
"At the end of my turn, I activate Acid's ability! I destroy the tapped Alternative, and from my deck, I call upon a cost 7 or less colorless creature. Come, Truename Rihanna Glory!"
Alternative stabbed himself in the chest with his weapon and was engulfed in a large explosion. As the smoke cleared, the Mecha Del Sol stood where Alternative was before, softly humming a tune.
"Untouchables…" Reimu could feel his annoyed tone, even if his face was covered. This pleased her.
"Since you have a Psychic creature in your battle zone, Rihanna Glory's ability makes my creatures win all battles. And now, you can't choose my creatures as a target for any creature's ability or spell!" Reimu smiled. Or was she just baring her teeth? "I'll take you down one by one, for Marisa!"
"…As you mentioned, nothing is certain before the very end." The First said. "Let's see how you deal with this! I summon Olzekia, General of Decapitation! I destroy him with his effect and you must choose two of your creatures and destroy them, Hakurei Reimu. Since you only have two creatures…you have no choice but to destroy them!"
"…!" As the Demon Command stabbed through her two creatures and accompanied them to the graveyard, Reimu's heart sank even lower than before.
"…Alcadeias! Break her shields!" A pulse of energy pierced two of her shields as The First gave that order.
"My…turn!" Reimu hesitantly drew a card. "I summon Acid… Turn End."
"…Seems that you're on the verge of defeat." The Second commented. "But I will not allow myself to be careless. I summon Jenny, Suicide Doll and School Man. School Man destroys the both of them, and in return, you must choose one of your creatures and destroy it. Not that you have a choice anyway."
"…" Reimu stared blankly, as her Acid vanished into light.
"With Unified Shachihoko's effect, I bring out Victorious Gaial Kaiser and Intense World! Sahchihoko Kaiser."
"Break all of her defences." As he said that, Thunder Tiger and Unified Shachihoko shattered the last 3 of Reimu's shields.
"Victorious Gaial Kaiser, todomeda."
"We'll be taking these, then." The First pocketed the cards they won. "…I'm sorry."
The Second patted him on the shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "Let's go."
"Yeah."
They turned and left the run-down shrine, leaving the unconscious girls on the floor, accompanied only by the chirping of the morning birds and the buzzing of the cicadas.
"…What's the matter? Yukari-sama?" The nine-tailed fox inquired.
"Nothing, Ran. Just continue on with your duties." The Youkai Sage answered, closing the gap she was peeking at previously as she lay down on her bed again.
"Yes, Master." Ran bowed, and backed away. As she ushered Chen, who was playing outside, back into the living room, Ran pondered about the other side of the gap just now.
She could only take a brief glimpse, but it was the Hakurei Shrine.
When the balance is starting to break, to what lengths will people go to restore it? Fight or flight? Will the change be for the better? Humanity has not yet reached the definite answers to these questions.
Decks:
Reimu: Darkness Nature Acid (黒緑アシッド)
Marisa: Forever Danmaku (悠久弾幕)/Danmaku Fernando (弾幕フェルナンド)
The First: Bolmeteus Control/BWD (ボルメテウスコントロール)
The Second: Spring Shachihoko (湧水シャチホコ)
The reason I used Humanoid instead of Human was because 1)they're called that in Japanese and 2)well, they're not human.