Foreword: Hello guys. This just a short conclusive chapter to the 1st arc(prologue), so it's pretty short and contains no duels. The next arc, hopefully, will be as, or even more entertaining.
Since it's the end of an arc, I'd like to give thanks to the readers who have followed so far. Thank you all very much!
Again, if you have any comments and suggestions, please don't hesitate to tell me!
Until the next chapter then!
Touhou Duel Masters Café
Chapter 12 – Banquet
In her blurred consciousness, Marisa thought she heard a familiar voice. One that she heard 11 years ago, when she just moved to the Forest of Magic to her new home, after a large quarrel led her to run from her father and her original home in the Human Village.
A voice that seemed so far, but so close, as she tried to open her eyes and concentrate, only to fail as her eyelids were dragged down by unseen weights.
Then there was this sensation, experienced several times when she had tripped over and cut herself in the woods. The sensation of being carried on the back of a certain person, slowly but surely, back to her own house, and the hands that secured her firmly to stop her from falling. Compared to her father, this person's back was not as wide, but it was more…"reliable". More familiar.
How nostalgic… It's been so long that she had been carried this way.
A small smile crossed her lips as her consciousness slipped away completely into darkness.
It was high noon when the First, Second and Yuugi reached the shrine. As they set down the shrine maiden and magician, the First peeked into the donation box out of bored curiosity.
Empty as always.
The First and Second's arms felt they like were on fire after the ordeal, and they had no choice but to endure it, rubbing their sore parts in a vain attempt to ease the pain.
Yuugi, on the other hand, had no problem due to Cirno's weight and her natural youkai strength, not to mention she was the first one to have her burden removed when they passed by the Lake of Mist. She smirked mockingly as the two boys groaned in pain, and motioned for them to get going already.
"Now that was a dumb idea…" The First complained, the strengthening magic long worn off his body, rendering it as weak as always. His whole body ached as all the pressure that was pent up rebounded on him. He even felt like passing out and not giving a damn anymore. The same applied to the Second, who was in slightly better shape, being healthier than his friend from the start.
"Yeah…" The Second agreed weakly. "Unconscious people are dead heavy..."
"Hey, hey, don't pass out right now. It'll be a hassle to carry you guys back to the village." Yuugi laughed heartily, and they just rolled their eyes as they started back to the Human Village to rest for the moment.
Seiga sat in the room, and an unimpressed smirk escaped her lips as she grasped the situation.
"Hmph… I suppose I shouldn't have expected much out of a creature with severely weakened abilities after just being woken up…"
She tossed her gaze towards the hell raven and kasha, and pondered.
"Well, at least he bought me enough time… But now that the attention diverter is gone, I'll need to think about my next actions more carefully…"
"I really need to have those two's power… But getting to the shrine maiden has failed, and even the Zenith has failed…"
She stared intently at the two unconscious pets. Seiga's eyes glowed in the dim room, irises of malice and desire.
"As long as I have these hostages… They will definitely target me…"
"I'll just have to wait for them to come for me then… This time… Fufu. They'll be in the palm of my hands when they notice it…"
The candles flickered a little, and they dimmed as the evil hermit left the room.
Reimu was feeling quite pleased with herself, as she had defeated the oldest Zenith in a duel. Even if it was the second time she had won against something that powerful, it was something to be proud of. A wide smile hung on her face.
"Hey, hey, don't be having that smug look on your face. It's your job!" Marisa said, annoyed with the smile as she poured the tea she boiled.
"What?" Reimu countered. "It's still quite a feat, you know. To defeat Shangri-La, whom those two people can't even deal with… Doesn't that make you feel good?"
She resumed her smiling as she enjoyed the tea.
"Chi…" Marisa clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Getting all the glory while I deal with his sidekick…"
"Hmhm… Complain all you want. I'm the one who bested him, after all."
Her smile contained a little bit of loneliness as she looked at her new deck, now devoid of anything that reminds Reimu of Michael. A new deck that allowed her to become even stronger, defeating a destructor of worlds…albeit weakened. Maybe that hooded guy really was right. Letting go of the past was the key to becoming stronger…so that she can move forward.
She got up, and packing up her original deck and cards, tucked them away into a drawer with a small sigh.
"…" Marisa did not say anything at this sight, and chose to remain quiet.
"…Anyways!" Reimu turned abruptly. "It's time for that again!"
"Ha? For what?"
"Of course… A banquet!"
Night fell, and the First and Second woke up from their afternoon nap.
"…Ha…" Looking around, they found that Yuugi had left long ago, and the room and café was dark, no lights to illuminate them.
"It's so late already…" The Second yawned. "…Hm?"
A folded piece of paper lay on the café counter, untouched.
"What's this?" He unfolded the letter and started to read it. "Let's see…"
"Now that Shangri-La has been defeated, there would be a banquet that is to be held for a few days starting from tomorrow night…and now it would be a good opportunity to search for Seiga and gather information since most people would be there… Good luck on your work. Of course, it is okay for you to relax at the banquet for some time.
Satori and Yukari."
"…" They stared at the letter. "I suppose the habit of holding these stuff once every two weeks or so hasn't changed one bit." The First scratched his head.
"Well, youkai are pretty free after all. Stir up trouble, have fun at banquets. That's their entertainment…" The Second sighed as he folded up the letter.
"Well?" The First directed the decision to his friend.
"…Well, I suppose we can go there tomorrow and gather a little information…" The Second tapped his chin. "But seeing that there's so many people, it might be hard to keep a low profile… However, since we're running out of time… I suppose it's worth a try."
His friend nodded.
"Well, for the time being, let's get back to work for a little while…"
Switching on the kappa-made light, they flipped the sign to "In Service", and enjoyed a little moment of everyday peace as customers came in, making coffee and drinks all the while.
As they saw Keine and Mokou come in, they exchanged smiles, and the Second went to take their order. It goes without saying that they were pleased to see each other.
It was a peaceful night for them.
Preparation for the banquet took less than half a day. The onis were magnificent helper in setting up stalls, and many visitors brought their own food. Stall owners came at noon, and everything was done by early evening.
Reimu flew up into the air, and surrounded by the eyes of everyone, announced the start of the banquet.
The shrine-ground was filled with people. Youkai, human, it didn't matter, everyone was there to have fun, although many did not know of the real threat danger that was just taken care of. They just knew that the invincible shrine maiden had defeated it, and all was well.
The hustle and bustle of the crowd was no different from any other banquet, as the First and Second tried to blend in without looking too suspicious.
"Man…I wonder if we won't get caught if we just put on sunglasses." The First mumbling sorry to the people he had bumped into.
"We're no Quattro…they'll recognize us in an instant anyway." The Second paid for two unagi from Mystia's stall and handed one to his friend. "Let's enjoy it for the moment…and then we'll start a work."
As they walked through the crowd, they caught a glimpse of Yukari, who briefly smiled at them and returned to her conversation with Yuyuko.
"Meh… Business as usual." The Second sighed, and they sat down in a secluded spot, slightly away from the crowd.
As the kappa's fireworks detonated in the sky, they wondered if Gensokyo was truly free from the influence of Shangri-La. But as time passed, they forgot their problems for a while, and immersed themselves in the cheerful atmosphere of the banquet, enjoying the food and drinks.
A small green skirt fluttered, and went towards them.
Near Muenzuka, under the starry sky, a lone figure trudged through the flowers, towards the purple cherry blossom tree. Picking up the card of Shangri-La, the figure stood and watched as the card faded into dust between its fingers.
"…Now, to the next stage…"