Hello ladies and gentlmen! It's been quite some time. I'm sorry for this long holiday, and I've been preoccupied with lots of other stuff. Namely reality and procrastination. Anyways, I'm back, and hope this chapter will satisfy you until the next chapter comes!
Please do leave your comments if you have any, as usual!
Touhou Duel Masters Café
Chapter 21 – To the end of Reincarnation (1)
"Bruce's effect!" Alice called out. "I summon Crossfire from my graveyard for no cost since I have 6 creatures in my graveyard!" The red dragon-like Outrage appeared from a pillar of flames, his cannons glowing and ready to fire.
"This turn will be the end!" She declared, and swung her arm aside. "I attack with Galamuta, and no one can use Shield Triggers until the end of the turn!" The Earth Dragon/Dark Lord hybrid swung down his gigantic blade, breaking one shield of Alice's opponent. The blue haired girl with glasses cowered as her shield shattered and reformed into a card in her hand.
"Kuh…"
"Then I attack with Maple Syrup and break two more shields!" The blonde puppeteer commanded, and the large Death Puppet crushed two more shields.
"Crossfire! Double Break!" Crossfire blasted the last shields into the girl's hand.
"Kuh…" She stared at the 2 shield triggers that couldn't be used. "Impossible…"
"Bruce, todomedeyo." Flicking her short hair, Alice gave the final order. In response, the black Outrage MAX raised his sword and brought it down on the girl, bringing the duel to an end.
The smoke cleared and the girl lay on the floor, and everything began to turn white. Soon enough, the girls found themselves in the pure white space, as the world began to reset itself.
As they realized that they had solved another world's problems, the lone clapping of a person resonated around the space.
The girls turned to see Edo coming towards them for afar, clapping his hands as he closed the distance between them.
"Congratulations, and thank you very much for freeing me from this cycle." The boy smiled. "You have my deepest respect and thanks for helping us.
"Heh, no need to thank us ze." Marisa answered. "We just want to get us, Jonathan and Michael out of here as soon as possible.
"Whatever the cause, I truly thank you for helping us…and them." Edo motioned towards who-knows-where. "Could you continue to look after them after this for us? As long as they have companions, they won't be lonely anymore."
"We'll ensure that they feel our emotions." Reimu crossed her arms. "We won't let them get away so easily this time!"
"Heh…" Edo flashed a wide smile. "Be sure to party on for me, since I can't anymore. Tell them not to miss us and go on already!"
"We will." Alice nodded as she clutched her grimoire.
"Well then…good bye, and thanks. I'll leave all the rest to you." Edo waved, and the white space began to distort and shift, and eventually all turned to black.
Sanae opened her eyes, and felt the damp, warm air latching onto her skin. Frowning, she looked up, seeing a large piece of glass overhead, and noticed the amount of plants around her.
"This place is…" Sunlight poured down on the girls through the glass, and Sanae noticed the sprinklers soon enough.
"A greenhouse?" The green haired shrine maiden came to this conclusion.
"What's that?" Marisa asked as she fanned herself with her hat. "Man, sure is hot in here."
"It's a place to grow plants in an ideal environment." Sanae explained, making use of the knowledge of her original world. "These plants need to be in such a wet and hot environment to grow."
"Which means I can grow mushrooms in here too!?" The magician's eyes sparkled.
"E, eh…I suppose so." Sanae scratched her cheek.
"It's getting suffocating here. Why don't we get out of here first, then talk later?" Remilia suggested from under the shade of her parasol.
The others nodded in agreement, and with her time stopping abilities, Sakuya found an exit in no time and led her companions to it.
As soon as they stepped out of the greenhouse, a large voice halted them.
"What do you think you're doing to my plants!"
Caught by surprise, they turned, and saw an enraged Sora stomping towards them.
"Who are you? This place is off-limits!" She hollered.
"Eh, we…" Not knowing how to explain the situation in short time, Sanae stopped midway. "We're not here to harm you and your plants! Please hear us out!"
"Hmph… I don't care what purpose you serve…" The tattooed girl pulled out her deck. "I'll beat you in a duel, and you'll stay away from this place!"
"Ha!?" Reimu frowned and reached for her deck. "Didn't you listen to what Sanae said? Fine, I'll…"
"Reimu-san… Please leave this to me." Sanae raised her hand and stopped Reimu. "It's time I did something for Jonathan-san and Michael-san!"
"…Fine then." Reimu stopped a little reluctantly.
"Don't worry!" Sanae pulled out her deck in response. "I'll show you the power of the wind priestess!"
"Duema!"
"Start!"
BGM: Duel for Certain Victory (YGO ZeXal Sound Duel 5)
"I summon this child!" Tapping two cards in her mana zone, Sanae summoned a small Snow Faerie, who appeared by the wind priestess' side. "Blow the winds of the five colors into the land and lend me the strength of the world! Summer Breeze Faerie Courtney!"
"Heh…Courtney…" Sora drew a card. "I summon Dandy Eggplant!" The Wild Veggie wielding a hammer materialized on her field. "With his effect I put Traptops into my mana zone and send Geo Eggplant from my mana zone to my graveyard. Turn End."
"My turn! I cast Faerie Miracle!" Sanae tapped all cards in her mana zone and cast the mana boost spell. "Since Courtney gives all cards in my mana zone all civilizations, I boost two cards from my deck! Turn End."
Clicking her tongue, Sora started her turn. "My turn. I summon Victory Apple. With his Fort Energy: Wild Veggies, I put Geo Eggplant into my mana zone from my graveyard. Turn End."
"I won't let those Wild Veggies grow anymore. My turn!" Sanae said. "I cast Moonlight Demon Wolf Castle Howling, and give -3000 power to Dandy Eggplant. Then Mana Arms 5. I destroy Victory Apple! Turn End."
"Bakana…" Taken aback, Sora shook her head and growled. "My turn, draw!"
"I summon Dokugator and send Courtney to you mana!" The alligator-like Jurassic Command Dragon appeared on Sora's field, snapping his huge jaws, and with a large howl the Snow Faerie disappeared from the battle zone. "Turn End."
"Ku… My turn. Mana charge…Turn End." Sanae pursed her lips.
"Draw. I summon Fighting Musubi and activate his Martial Touch!" Sora declared and the Wild Veggie appeared on her field. "I return Dokugator to my hand and boost 1 mana. Turn End."
"My turn! I summon The=Deadman!" The living goddess declared, and the Jurassic Command Dragon/Draguner crashed down on her field, calling forth Niga=Vermut, a large Dragheart Fortress with multiple dragon heads from the Hyperdimensional zone in the process.
"With Niga=Vermut's effect, all my cards in my mana get all 5 civilization like Courtney! Turn End."
"Chi…" Sora drew a card. "I summon Traptops! I send a cost 5 or less card, Niga=Vermut to your mana zone!" Traptops rose from the ground and bellowed, and the large Dragheart Fortress
"My turn! I summon Courtney!" Courtney once again floated beside Sanae, blowing the colors of the 5 civilizations into Sanae's mana. "Then with Deadman's effect! I tap one card of each civilization to summon Descartes Q!" The blue Crystal Command Dragon roared as he emerged from a whirlpool of water. "Mana Arms 7! I draw 5 cards! Then with Descartes Q's second ability, I put one card from my hand to my shields and take one card back. Turn End."
"My turn! Draw! I summon Great Cactus, and search Victory Apple from my deck!" The cactus raised his arms, and a card flew from Sora's deck into her hand. "Then I summon Kurikuri Ikarazu! I put Dandy Eggplant from my graveyard into my mana zone. Turn End."
BGM: The Fight Isn't Over (YGO ZeXal Sound Duel 5)
"My turn! I summon Master Seven by tapping 5 cards with Deadman's ability, then I summon Glenmolt Head by the same effect!" Sanae declared, and the Draguner and Gaial Command Dragon appeared on Sanae's field.
"Battle! I attack with Glenmolt Head! Mana Arms 7! I put a cost 6 or less non-weapon card, Endless Heaven from my Hyperdimensional zone into my battle zone!"
Conjuring a ball of energy in his hands, Glenmolt Head opened a gate to the Hyperdimension, allowing the Light Dragheart Fortress to cruise into the battle zone. "Glenmolt Head! Double Break!"
Two of Sora's shields shattered and reformed as cards in her hand, one glowing with a green aura. "Shield Trigger! Ancient Dragon Ruins Euru=Bucca! I send the untapped Courtney to your mana zone, then Mana Arms 5! I send The=Deadman to your mana zone too!" A shadowy fortress appeared, spewing a green gas that sent both creatures into Sanae's mana zone.
"Uff…Master Seven loses Speed Attacker without Mana Arms…" Sanae frowned. "Turn End. Since I have more shields than you, at the End Step, Endless Heaven ryuukais into True Destiny King Neverend!"
The Dragheart Fortress transformed into the yellow Angel Command Dragon holding a giant spear in his right hand, and the whole battle zone was covered in a white aura.
"My turn! I summon Ragmatox! I send him to the mana zone, and you must send one of your creatures to the mana zone too!" Sora summoned the Jurassic Command Dragon and instantly sent him to the mana zone.
"…I send Master Seven to the mana zone."
"Then I summon Victory Apple!" The apple appeared on the field once more. "Fort Energy! With both his Fort Energies, I put Victory Apple from my graveyard to my mana zone, and recover Flavor Chef Don Grill from my mana zone! Then G Zero! Since I have 4 Wild Veggies in my battle zone, I summon him for no cost! I evolve Victory Apple into Don Grill!"
"The Acorn Tree of the flavors of the world! With your twin blades cut everything in your path!"
The apple grew into the large tree, swinging his two knives and splitting the ground. "Heh! Don Grill! Double Break!"
"Kuh…" The evolution Wild Veggie slashed at Sanae's shields, splintering two of Sanae's shields.
"No trigger…"
"Heh… Traptops, Double Break!"
"Descartes Q! Block! Descartes has 7000 while Traptops has 6000, so Descartes wins!" The wind priestess commanded, and Descartes Q rammed away the Jurassic Command Dragon who charged at Sanae, and with two blasts from his cannons obliterated his opponent.
"Then I break your remaining shields with Great Cactus, Fighting Musubi and Kurikuri Ikazaru!"
"Kuh… No triggers…"
"Heh…Turn End." Sora smiled confidently.
"Oioi… Is Sanae gonna be alright?" Marisa frowned at the field.
"Don't worry…she's probably still got more stuff up her sleeve." Reimu assured her friend. "She still has 3 dragons… She won't be losing like this."
BGM: Faith is for the Transient People (Sanae's Theme) (Arrange: Demetori)
"Watashi no taan! I summon a third Courtney!" Sanae once more summoned her key card.
"Sanae! Let's do this!" The faerie smiled at her master, letting of a small green aura from her body.
"…!" Sanae stared at her creature for a few seconds, and returned the smile shortly after. "Hai! Let's do this, Courtney!"
"I summon a second Master Seven!"
"Glenmolt Head, attack!" Sanae ordered. "With Neverend's effect, I freeze Don Grill! Then Mana Arms 7! I put Gigaheart into the battlezone and equip it to Glenmolt Head!"
"I attack Kurikuri Ikazaru!" The Humanoid Baku slashed at the Wild Veggie with the giant sword, cleaving him in half.
"Then I attack Great Cactus with Master Seven! He gets Power Attacker +777, and gains 70000 power while battling with Mana Arms 7! I also freeze Fighting Musubi with Neverend's effect!"
"Kuh…!" Sora covered herself from the explosion made from the destruction of her creature.
"This is the second attack this turn with a Dragon!" Sanae informed her opponent. "Gigaheart ryuukais into Ohginga!"
Glenmolt let go of the weapon, and in a flash, it transformed into the Gaial Command Dragon, who roared and slashed with his two blades.
"Ohginga! Triple Break! Then with Ohginga's effect, I bring out Leo The World!"
The six-armed Angel Command Dragon shaped after a dragon flew out of a hole connecting to the Hyperdimension.
"Kuh…! Shield Trigger! Euru=Bucca!" Sora caught her shattered shields and activated her defense. "I send Neverend and Leo The World to your mana zone…!"
"While I have no shields, Leo The World does not leave the battle zone!" Sanae activated Leo The World's effect, and the Dragheart creature slashed away the green gas while Neverend vanished back into a portal.
"Leo The World gains Speed Attacker with Ohginga's effect! Leo The World, direct attack! Todomedesu!" Sanae ordered, and her creature obeyed, roaring with all his might, smashing all six of his swords onto Sora, and ending the duel at last.
"Ha… I'm terribly sorry." Sora set down the last cup of tea apologetically. "I tend to go quite berserk when it's concerning my plants. Please forgive my brashness."
"It's all right!" Sanae reassured the Nature duelist. "Since the misunderstanding is gone, we can get along together! And thanks to that duel, I've got a talking creature too!"
"Hmm…" Reimu sipped the hot tea.
"Mu…" Marisa grumbled. "I must get a talking creature soon…"
"Well, I suppose you aren't bad people. If you're objective is to find Michael and Jonathan too, we can cooperate." Sora told them as she sat back down on the sofa. "…That is, if they're willing to cooperate…"
"…Hm? You mean…" Alice put down her cup of tea.
Another voice responded to her question.
"Who are these people?" Rad came towards them, a look of annoyance drawn on his face. "I thought non-Constellations aren't supposed to be here!"
"Oh, Rad." Sora stood up and greeted her fellow red-haired duelist. "These people are here to find Michael and Jonathan, and they mean no harm. They can definitely be of help."
"Chi…" Rad clicked his tongue and turned away. "Whatever, I don't need their help in finding them and recruiting more members. Just do whatever you want."
"Eh…" Sora wanted to say more, but Rad had closed his room's door behind him. Her shoulders sagged as she sighed and sank back down.
"…Not very cooperative eh?" Marisa observed, as she eyed Rad's door and gulped down her tea.
"Yes… as you can see, the remaining 6 members of the Constellations aren't exactly bonded closely with each other." The Libra duelist explained. "More so ever since Michael and Jonathan disappeared, and we lost the glue that stuck us together…"
Sighing, she refilled the cups that were empty with red tea. Moments passed as in silence save for the sipping and refilling of tea, and the soft clattering of plates and cups.
"Hm…" Reimu tapped her chin and mused. So this time we have to make this group bond together…huh. This might be a little tricky…
"Well. I suppose we can start to search for them tomorrow. Do you have any rooms to spare?" Reimu inquired.
"Oh yes. Michael and Jonathan's rooms are empty. Please use them if that is alright with you."
"Well, thanks for this ze!" Marisa thanked Sora and stood up.
"Ahn!? The hell you saying!?" Rad's voice echoed around the hall, and they turned to see the angry Taurus duelist squaring off against Tsugumi, who wasn't looking a lot happier either.
"I said, you good for nothing duelist can't even find them with your own power! And it's been a whole year already!" Tsugumi crossed her arms and repeated her last sentence.
"Why you…!" Rad leered at the Aries duelist, his hand reaching for his deck. "I hope you've prepared yourself for this!"
"I always am!"
"Guys guys!" Sora rushed towards the two and pulled them apart. "This is not the time to be arguing amongst ourselves!"
"Stay away, Sora!" Rad growled. "I'll teach her a lesson this time round!"
"Stop it, you two." A cold, harsh voice froze them in their position, and Dione stepped out of her room. "This isn't the time to be quarreling. We have duties to attend to and find our two missing members with our guests. As a team, of course."
"Chi… I don't care." Rad spat. "I'll do things on my own, and I'll never cooperate with this little lady."
"Ah, shall this little lady show you how she'll kick your butt then?" Tsugumi sneered.
"You…!"
"I said stop it!" Dione commanded harshly. "You two, get away from each other and stop this nonsense."
"Or?" Rad countered.
"I will make you stop." The coldness in the Pisces duelist's quiet voice seeped into their bones.
"…Fine." Rad grumbled and left reluctantly.
"That goes for you too, Tsugumi."
"Chi…" Clicking her tongue, she obeyed the order.
"…Sorry for the disturbance." Dione bowed her head towards Reimu's team. "Please make yourselves comfortable. We will join you out here tomorrow morning." With that, she retreated into her room.
"…Wow." Sanae breathed. "…That's some scary aura."
"…She's the founder of the Constellations, and has the ultimate authority here." Sora informed them. "…I've actually never seen her duel, but it's said that she has never lost to anyone else in the Constellations, Michael and Jonathan included."
"Heh…" Remilia smiled. "That's quite something."
"…How I wish we were bonded more closely with each other. Or at least, find Michael and Jonathan to take care of the messes between us…" Sora shook her head. "As you can see, Rad and Tsugumi aren't on friendly terms. Izabella is always in her room doing who-knows-what, and Dione and Valzaark are basically acting on their own too…"
"Hm…" Marisa scratched her cheek. "Oh well! We'll think about that later ze!" She dashed into Jonathan's room without hesitation, and Sanae and Sakuya followed her in. Reimu sighed opened the door to the other empty room, along with the remaining girls.
As Sora watched the doors close, she exhaled deeply and massaged her temples, closing her eyes and letting her mind rest.
It was a long moment before she looked up again to tidy up the china cups, only to find them all gone, already cleaned and wiped dry beside the kitchen sink.
"….Huh?"
The sun rose, and by early noon, Rad was sitting impatiently in the hall under the guard of Valzaark, the red-head's feet tapping nonstop. Tsugumi winced and whirled on him. "Would you stop that foot tapping? It's getting unbearable."
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna so about it? No one else seems to be complaining." Folding his arms and looking at Tsugumi with a taunting attitude. Rad resumed his foot tapping.
"Grr…" Surveying her fellow Constellations, Tsugumi couldn't say much. Sora was in a meditating position; Izabella was focused intently on her smart phone; Valzaark had the same stoic expression while keeping an eye on Rad; and Dione was drinking a bit of wine quietly.
In minutes, the girls from Gensokyo emerged from their rooms, serious looks on their faces.
"…I assume we're all ready?" Reimu questioned. It was a needless question, but she decided to ask anyway.
"…Yes we are. We shall head for our first location." Putting down her glass, Dione brushed a lock of blue hair from her ears. "Let's go."
Decks:
Alice: Darigaaz Outrage (赤黒緑アウトレイジ)
Sanae: Summer Breeze Arms (薫風武装)
Sora: Mono Green Wild Veggies (緑単野菜)